Culinary Challenge

Questions:
1. One of the world’s oldest cultivated vegetables, this member of the lily family was considered sacred by ancient Egyptians, as valuable as gold in the Middle Ages, and a vital food for many historical military commanders on land and sea. Can you name this vegetable?
A. Onion
B. Carrot
C. Leek
D. Garlic
2. Which domesticated fowl was originally native to Southern Ontario, parts of the U.S. and Mexico before being domesticated by Indians and brought to Europe by English settlers?
A. Chicken
B. Duck
C. Pigeon
D. Turkey
3. Some early Spanish priests, aware of the passion the native people had for the fruit of this plant and unsure of its powers, assumed they were aphrodisiacs and warned against consumption. Of course, true to human nature this only added to the popularity of ___________?
A. Passion fruit
B. Chile pepper
C. Orange
D. Tomato
4. How did turkeys get their name?
A. The wild turkey’s call sounds like turk-turk-turk
B. In the 16th century, merchants trading along the seaboards of the Mediterranean were known as Turks. When they carried the birds among their cargo, the fowl became known as turkey fowl.
C. They were originally found in Turkey.
D. No one really knows.
5. This food has long been known as a symbol for eternity. Ancient Egyptians took an oath of office with their right hand on it and Byzantine architects used it’s symbolic shape in the design of their religious structures. What food is it?
A. Bread
B. Onion
C. Potato
D. Tomato
6. The tradition of this people claims an enormous hen turkey flew over their fields bringing them corn and teaching them how to cultivate their crops. Can you name this culture?
A. Iroquois
B. English
C. Navajos
D. Dutch
7. The feeling of euphoria some Chile pepper aficionados experience can be explained by this:
A. There is just something wrong with them (the aficionados, not the peppers).
B. Chile peppers really are an aphrodisiac.
C. The burning sensation in your mouth causes the release of adrenaline.
D. The burning sensation in your mouth causes the release of endorphins.
8. Among the 50 foreign countries where Spam is sold, which two countries are the biggest markets?
A. Rhodesia and Mexico
B. UK and South Korea
C. Canada and Poland
D. Russia and China
9. The lack of what food almost brought the Civil War to a halt when Gen. Ulysses S. Grant sent an urgent message to the War Department saying, “I will not move my army without _____.” The next day, three trainloads were on their way to the front.
A. Beef
B. Onions
C. Flour
D. Salt
10. Who sold a caramel company at the turn of the 20th century for $1 million and turned around to start a chocolate company in Pennsylvania?
A. Ralph Nestle
B. Milton Hershey
C. Willie Wonka
D. John Mars
11. During the Middle Ages, this food was so valuable it was used to make rent payments and as a wedding gift? Can you name it?
A. Onions
B. Potatoes
C. Venison
D. Pork
12. Which bird did Benjamin Franklin want to be named as the national symbol?
A. Bald Eagle
B. Turkey
C. Pigeon
D. Chicken
13. Nikita Krushchev once credited this food with the survival of the World War II Russian Army saying “Without ____, we wouldn’t have been able to feed our army.”
A. Spam
B. Potatoes
C. Cabbage
D. Frankfurters
14. What is the fear of food?
A. Cibophobia
B. Mealophobia
C. Refriphobia
D. Tablophobia
15. Can you guess where catsup was invented?
A. China
B. America
C. Canada
D. Italy
ANSWERS
1. One of the world’s oldest cultivated vegetables, this member of the lily family was considered sacred by ancient Egyptians, as valuable as gold in the Middle Ages, and a vital food for many historical military commanders on land and sea. Can you name this vegetable?
A. Onion
FTO: Of course, you’ve got to wonder if it was their breath that made those military commander such conquering heroes.
2. Which domesticated fowl was originally native to Southern Ontario, parts of the U.S. and Mexico before being domesticated by Indians and brought to Europe by English settlers?
D. Turkey
FTO: A pretty well-traveled bird for one that can’t fly!
3. Some early Spanish priests, aware of the passion the native people had for the fruit of this plant and unsure of its powers, assumed they were aphrodisiacs and warned against consumption. Of course, true to human nature this only added to the popularity of ___________?
B. Chile pepper
FTO: Where do you think the expression “Hot Mama” started?
4. How did turkeys get their name?
D. No one really knows.
FTO: The only way you could have missed out on this question was by answering “C.”
5. This food has long been known as a symbol for eternity. Ancient Egyptians took an oath of office with their right hand on it and Byzantine architects used it’s symbolic shape in the design of their religious structures. What food is it?
B. Onion
FTO: The QuizQueen would have gone for bread if she hadn’t researched the question herself!
6. The tradition of this people claims an enormous hen turkey flew over their fields bringing them corn and teaching them how to cultivate their crops. Can you name this culture?
C. Navajos
FTO: Fascinating stuff!
7. The feeling of euphoria some Chile pepper aficionados experience can be explained by this:
D. The burning sensation in your mouth causes the release of endorphins.
FTO: So who’s cooking the chili tonight?
8. Among the 50 foreign countries where Spam is sold, which two countries are the biggest markets?
B. UK and South Korea
FTO: According to my Spam research, it is apparently a status food in Korea. Go figure.
9. The lack of what food almost brought the Civil War to a halt when Gen. Ulysses S. Grant sent an urgent message to the War Department saying, “I will not move my army without _____.” The next day, three trainloads were on their way to the front.
B. Onions
FTO: He wasn’t the only commander attached to onions, apparently Captain Cook wouldn’t sail without them either.
10. Who sold a caramel company at the turn of the 20th century for $1 million and turned around to start a chocolate company in Pennsylvania?
B. Milton Hershey
FTO: No Americans better have missed that question and The QuizQueen truly hopes no one guessed Willy Wonka.
11. During the Middle Ages, this food was so valuable it was used to make rent payments and as a wedding gift? Can you name it?
A. Onions
FTO: The QuizQueen prefers all payments in traditional American greenbacks. Plastic works, too.
12. Which bird did Benjamin Franklin want to be named as the national symbol?
B. Turkey
FTO: If you answered Bald Eagle remember this is a FOOD quiz.
13. Nikita Krushchev once credited this food with the survival of the World War II Russian Army saying “Without ____, we wouldn’t have been able to feed our army.”
A. Spam
FTO: Bet you didn’t know Spam had such a distinguished history!
14. What is the fear of food?
A. Cibophobia
FTO: That was a toughie!
15. Can you guess where catsup was invented?
A. China
FTO: The QuizQueen wouldn’t have guessed that either.