A British Christmas Lunch Trivia Quiz

Answer: Turkey

Turkey has been the traditional meat in a British Christmas lunch for quite a long time, although in the Middle Ages goose was more often the choice. If you were royal, or belonged to the land owning gentry, you might even eat swan. All of the birds listed might be chosen by some people, but the photograph is definitely of a turkey.

Answer: Sage

Sage and onion stuffing is the combination used by most people, although another popular choice is parsley and thyme. If the mixture is cooked inside the poultry it is called stuffing, but if it is cooked separately it is known as seasoning. The photograph is of a sage plant.

Answer: Pigs in blankets

The sausages are usually made with meat from a pig, with the bacon wrapped around them, so the name reflects what they look like. In other countries, the name can refer to different versions such as small sausages wrapped in pastry.

The other items listed are real foods too. Toad in the hole describes sausages cooked in batter while bubble and squeak is left over potato and (usually) cabbage mixed together and fried. A Scotch egg is a hard boiled egg, surrounded by sausage meat and breadcrumbs before being deep fried.

Answer: Roast potatoes

Roast potatoes are cooked in the oven in fat, with many cooks recommending goose fat being the best to use for crispy potatoes. Part boiling the potatoes first also helps. Of course, you might have other potatoes with the meal as well, with either mashed or boiled potatoes being served to go with the roasties, but the photo shows some lovely, crispy roast potatoes.

Answer: Brussels sprouts

All the options listed are members of the cabbage family, but it's Brussels sprouts which are the traditional vegetable to go with the turkey and other items on your plate. Some people hate sprouts but they have been around a very long time, with an early form of them even being referred to in Ancient Roman times.

They are believed to have been grown in fields near Brussels, in Belgium, from around the thirteenth century which may have given them the name by which we call them.

Answer: Parsnips

The parsnip is a root vegetable, meaning that the part we eat grows underground. It is a relative of the carrot, which is why it looks similar, although they taste rather sweeter. For Christmas, especially, they are usually sliced in half and roasted in the oven.

Answer: Cranberries

Unlike most fruits, cranberries can have quite a sharp taste and are not normally eaten straight from the plant. They are made into a sauce or jam to be served alongside the turkey or made into a juice to drink. In the United Kingdom, most cranberry sauce is eaten at Christmas, while in the United States, cranberries are mostly associated with Thanksgiving.

Answer: A silver sixpence

The pudding itself is a mixture of fruit, mainly currants, raisins and other dried fruits with various other ingredients which can include honey, egg and various spices. It can be served with custard, cream or brandy butter. By tradition, a silver sixpence was hidden in the pudding and the person who found it in their portion would be blessed with good luck (or a broken tooth).

When Britain's coins were changed to decimal currency, in 1971, the sixpence disappeared, although some families may have kept one or two to continue the tradition.

Answer: Trifle

A traditional trifle is made with fruit, set into jelly, over a layer of sponge cake, then a layer of custard, which is topped with cream and then decorated. The one in the picture looks very like the one I've described. For adults, alcohol, often sherry, can be added to the sponge layer for an extra flavour.

The other puddings are traditional British puddings. Eton Mess is a mixture of meringue, cream and strawberries, while bread and butter pudding is sliced buttered bread cooked with eggs and milk. A jam roly poly is a pastry made from suet, covered with jam and then rolled up to cook.

Answer: Mince pies

The pies contain a filling known as mincemeat, which these days is actually a mixture of various fruits, suet and spices. The original recipes did include some meat, even up to Victorian times, which explains the name. It's rare for meat to be included in modern times, with the mince pie being considered a sweet treat, eaten at the end of the meal with a cup of coffee.