Tidbits from Around the World Trivia Quiz

Answer: Congee

Congee traces its origins to Tamil/Malayalam 'Kanji', while other south Indian languages also have similar sounding names. This is usually prepared by boiling rice in a lot of water (about 1:5 to 1:12 ratio) and adding a few spices. A variant of this is generally served to convalescents in almost all Asian cultures.

Kedgeree traces its origins to Khichri, a preparation of rice and lentils. However, there are also claims that Kedgeree originated in Scotland.

There is no argument about the origins of Mulligatawny, though. This soup traces its roots to Tamil "Milagu Tanni", literally, "Pepper water".

Bubble and squeak is another dish which may have originated in India and is prepared by using leftovers from the previous day. It is held that the name itself originated due to the bubbles that rise and the squeaking sounds made by the ingredients while frying.

~ vpatnaik

Answer: Pavlova

Pavlova is a cake of meringue, crisp on the outside, and inside "as light as ballerina Anna Pavlova". It is usually topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit.

Peach Melba was a 1890's invention of chef Auguste Escoffier of London's Savoy Hotel. Comprised of peaches, ice cream and raspberries, it was created in honour of Australian soprano Dame Nellie Melba.

Tarte Tatin came into being in 1898. It is said that one of the Tatin sisters of Hotel Tatin in Lamotte-Beuvron, France, "botched" an apple tart she was cooking, but found the result delicious. So a classic dessert was born.

Crepes Suzette's origin is debated, but one version says that in 1895, the Prince of Wales, who became King Edward VII, was dining at Monte Carlo's Cafe de Paris. A kitchen assistant was preparing pancakes with orange liqueur sauce when the alcohol fumes caught fire. The "accident of flame" so much improved the dish that it was served to the Prince, who gallantly insisted it be named for his female dining companion.

~auntie1

Answer: Pho

Phở (pronounced "fuh") will contain small slices of beef or chicken, in a rich broth, with rice noodles. The secret is in the flavor of the broth, which takes several hours to prepare and involves many ingredients. Garnishes include green or white onions, coriander, basil, fresh chili peppers, lemon or lime wedges, or bean sprouts. Fish sauce and hoisin sauce will be offered to flavor the soup.

Pho is said to have originated in the Vietnamese city of Hanoi, in the early 20th century. Many countries have their own version of this dish.

~robbieh

Answer: Avgolemono

Avgolemono is a Greek egg and lemon juice mixture - 'avgo' meaning egg and 'lemono' meaning lemon. This is one of the healthiest and best tasting dishes in Greece.

~Manjari97

Answer: Frank Epperson

The first ice pop was created by accident in 1905 when 11-year-old Frank Epperson left a cup of soda on his porch with a stirring stick in it in cold weather overnight. The next morning he discovered the drink has frozen to the stick, inspiring the idea of a fruit-flavored Popsicle. He introduced it to the public after 18 years in 1923 at Neptune Beach, an amusement park in Alameda, California. Popsicle was originally named as Epsicle. Popsicle sticks were first made from Birch wood.

~alekhya23

Answer: Lutefisk

Lutefisk has a pungent odor and a gelatinous texture. Our team-mate Katjalucia from Finland dislikes it, but her father enjoys it as traditional Christmas fare.

Finnan Haddie is smoked haddock named for the fishing village of Findon in Scotland. It is often served poached in milk as a breakfast dish.

Kedgeree consists of flaked smoked fish and boiled rice with chopped hard-boiled eggs,flavoured with curry. It was enjoyed in India during the time of the British Raj and adopted by Britons as a hot breakfast dish.

Rollmops have been popular fare in Northern Europe for many centuries. A pickled herring fillet is rolled into a cylinder around a pickled vegetable, such as onion or dill cucumber.

~auntie1

Answer: Eskimo ice cream

Akutaq is taken from the Yupik language, which belongs to the family of Eskimo-Aleut languages, and means 'something mixed'. Natives prepared this dish using the whipped fat of reindeer, bears or seals along with snow and wild berries like salmonberries, cranberries and blueberries. Some variations also included fish. These days, Crisco, a type of shortening, may also be used instead of fat.

Stinkhead, consisting of preserved salmon heads, is similar to the Nordic dish, lutefisk.

Tolushka is a traditional Kamchatkan dish made of dried fish mixed with animal fat and berries.

Bannock is quick flat bread found in a number of cuisines ranging from Scottish and Tibetan to Inuit and other Native Americans.

~zorba_scank

Answer: A rich meaty stew.

Derek Tibs is a rich, spicy meat stew (wot) of Ethiopian cuisine. It is served on a platter lined with flatbread (injera) which is torn into pieces and used to convey the food to the mouth.

The "human" Derek Tibs are all figments of my imagination. Resemblance to any living person is purely coincidental.

~auntie1

Answer: Purple

Carrot history is sketchy, but in the region which now includes Afghanistan and Pakistan, Daucus atrorubens, a purple-rooted carrot, was grown and harvested from times BC.

Daucus sativa, with orange, yellow or white roots, may have originated as a food crop in Turkey. It became widely cultivated in Europe, but there is no evidence of its use prior to the 8th Century AD.

Oddly enough, purple carrots are making their way back into popularity. They are being marketed as a "Super Food" due to their high level of antioxidants.

~tiffinata

Answer: Chinese

Chinese immigrants, mainly from the Guangdong region and Macau, arrived in Peru in the 19th century to work as contract labourers in the sugar plantations. Unable to find ingredients traditionally used in their cuisine in their new home, the immigrants absorbed local ingredients and cooking styles derived from the natives, Spanish and Africans giving rise to a Canton-Peruvian hybrid cuisine that came to be known as "Chifa". Chifa is used to describe both the cuisine and the restaurants that serve it.

~zorba_scank