Toponymies Trivia Quiz

Answer: Olives

The Kalamata olive, which comes from the Messenia region in Greece, is usually harvested in late autumn. They are harvested when ripe and are dark violet, light brown or black in colour. They contain iron, healthy fatty acids and natural antioxidants, copper, vitamins A and E, B1, B2, B6, C, folic acid and beta-carotene, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.

The Peloponnese is a peninsula located at the southern tip of the mainland of Greece, and the Messenia region is at the extreme south-western end of the area. Kalamata itself is a port city, the second most populous of the Peloponnese peninsula. It was first mentioned in the "Life of St. Nikon the Metanoeite" in 10th-century.

Answer: Duck

With its origins in the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368), Peking duck was concocted for the emperor. During this period, the imperial era of China, the country was under the rule of the Mongol Empire. The fame and popularity of the dish spread across the world when the Qing Dynasty fell in 1911 and the chefs from the Forbidden City (located within Beijing) left for greener (safer) pastures.

The preparation of the Peking duck can take up to three days. The duck is prepared with a honey glaze, then hung for two days to airdry. It is roasted over a fruit wood-fired oven for about 40 minutes. The duck is sliced into pieces and is served with crepes, sliced cucumbers, and sauces.

Answer: Cake

Originating in the town of Pontefract in Yorkshire, England, these tasty morsels are stamped with a stylised image of Pontefract Castle. They were originally medicinal lozenges made of liquorice water, known for its medicinal benefits. However, Pontefract cakes are not what one usually thinks of as a cake, as they are coin shaped, measuring about 19 mm (3/4 inch) wide and 4 mm (less than 1/4 in) high.

Such was the trade in these cakes that in 1750, there were 47 liquorice growers in the Pontefract region, and they struggled to keep up with the demand. It was changed from a savoury lozenge to a sweet one sometime in the 1700s when chemist George Dunhill added sugar to the mix.

Pontefract had Royalist sympathies in the English Civil War when its motto, 'Post mortem patris pro filio' ('after the death of the father, support the son'), originated. The name of the town originates from the Latin for 'broken bridge'. It was located on what was known as Roman Ridge, believed to have been used by the Romans as an alternative route from Doncaster to York.

Answer: Omelette

The history of the Denver omelette is bound up with the railways that were opening up across the USA because of the discovery of gold. By 1880, Denver had four stations and dozens of rail-lines passing through the city. The people working on the lines had to be fed and the Denver omelette was created.

It's thought that onions and capsicum were added to mask the taste of eggs that were... er... past their prime. While the classic Denver omelette has green capsicum and onion in it, some have cheese and ham included. Another variant adds chopped tomato and renames the dish a Western omelette. It's thought that Chinese cooks working on the rail-road created hearty sandwiches of bread filled with something akin to egg foo yung, but somewhere along the way the bread was left off et voila! Denver omelette.

Answer: Potatoes

Originating in the French city of Lyon, this is a much-loved dish of potatoes and onions, with lots of butter or heavy cream and garlic. Variations include the use of paprika for additional flavour and colour; some people prefer to use chicken stock instead of cream to reduce calories. Occasionally, grated cheese is added to the top.

The Romans named Lyon 'Lugdunum' in 43 BC; it is located 391 km (243 mi) south-east of Paris, on the Rhone river. Its food is world renowned. Saucisson de Lyon brioché (a cooked sausage in a brioche) and Tripes à la Lyonnaise (assorted pan fried offal in thin pieces with onions and garlic and grilled in the oven with bread crumbs) are also named for the city. The Beaujolais wine region is located to the north of the city, and the Côtes du Rhône to the south.

Answer: Beef

Wagyu is the collective name given to the four primary native breeds of cattle in Japan, and in the Kobe region of Honshu island the meat produced from the local cattle has become renowned the world over. Such is its popularity, the name Kobe beef has been given protected status so that only beef from the region can be so designated.

The beef cattle from this area are genetically predisposed to intramuscular marbling, unlike western cattle. The marbling gives the beef a particular textural quality and it should be eaten rare to medium.

Answer: Mustard

The famous moutarde de Dijon (Dijon mustard) is traditionally made with a particular variety of brown mustard seeds primarily grown (these days) in Canada. Something similar to what we know as mustard today has been eaten for centuries across the world, and contained verjus (the juice of unripened grapes). More recently, the verjus was replaced with vinegar. However, the mustard makers of Dijon believed that verjus was the secret to making the finest mustards, and continued with the tradition. Genuine Dijon mustard must use only seeds and other ingredients grown in Burgundy.

Answer: Rice

As the fame of Italian cooking spread world-wide, so did the popularity of Arborio rice (Oryza sativa), first cultivated in the town of Arborio, in the Piedmont region in the heart of the Po Valley. It was developed in the 1940s and is prized for its creamy consistency due to its high starch content. In appearance, its grains are short, plump, and slightly oval-shaped with a pearly white exterior.

While Arborio rice has become synonymous with risotto, its ability to absorb flavours means that is also suitable for dishes such as rice pudding, paella, and stuffed vegetables and arancini balls. When cooking, it should not be overcooked but served al dente, to prevent it taking on a gluey consistency.

Answer: Sprouts

The first record of Brussels sprouts was in the late 1500s. Because of the shortage of space to grow crops, the farmers of Saint-Gilles, one of the city-districts of Brussels, selectively bred a small cabbage that grew vertically along the stems. They are classified in the Brassica oleracea family which originated in the Mediterranean; it is thought that the Romans cultivated a primitive form of these yummy vegetables.

Traces of human settlement in Brussels date back to the Stone Age and was also subject to Roman occupation. It was promoted to city status around the year 1000 AD with the bringing of holy relics to the Saint Gaugericus chapel by Duke Charles. Apart from Brussels sprouts, the city is known for its chocolate, waffles and beer, markets and Art Nouveau architecture.

Answer: Ham

Iberian ham can only be obtained from pigs reared in the Iberico region of Spain, with 100% Iberico genetic profiles - in other words, both piggy parents have 100% Iberico genes. There are three groupings of the ham, based on their diet: Bellota (100% acorn-fed); Cebo de Campo (some acorns, some pasture, grain, and feed); and Cebo (commercial feed only). Celtic pigs were settled in the north of the Iberian Peninsula and the pigs on the Cantabrian coast are descended from these animals.

The Iberian Peninsula is located on Europe's south-western tip, and is occupied by Spain and Portugal. The Greeks called the original inhabitants Iberians, from the Ebro, the peninsula's second longest river.