Dining in America Trivia Quiz

Answer: toast

Texas toast is sliced bread that is considerably thicker than most sliced breads. The extra thickness of the bread comes in handy for any dish involving the bread that includes sauce or liquid. It can be toasted and works well as French toast, garlic bread, or a cheese sandwich; these can be added as side dishes to fried or barbecued foods. Texas toast is sold commercially either fresh or frozen, and is particularly popular in Texas and surrounding areas.

Answer: wings

Named after the city they were invented in, Buffalo wings are fried chicken wings coated in hot sauce and served while hot. The hot sauce used in Buffalo wings is usually thicker and creamier than most hot sauces, and can be made or found in supermarkets. Celery sticks and blue cheese dressing are often served with Buffalo wings, as they make a cool, complimentary contrast with the hot sauce. Buffalo wings are a common food at competitive eating events, such as Wing Bowl.

Answer: clam

Clams may have been first used in chowder simply because they were easy to harvest. Unlike New England clam chowder, Manhattan clam chowder is a water-based soup that uses tomatoes for flavoring. Tomatoes were actually meant to take the place of milk, an alteration that was first done by Portuguese immigrants in New York. Clam chowder also contains chopped vegetables including potatoes, onions, and celery.

It is commonly garnished with parsley and occasionally bacon.

Answer: pepper

In the early 1900s, a farmer named Emilio Ortega cultivated pepper seeds around Anaheim, California. The mildly hot peppers became ubiquitous in the western United States and are commonly known as Anaheim peppers. They come in a wide variety of colors and are commonly used in Mexican dishes, either fresh or dried. Dried peppers are often used whole, as they tend to hold their flavor better than when ground. Hotter versions of Anaheim peppers are grown in New Mexico and sometimes called New Mexico peppers.

Answer: cow

Mild, pale cheese was produced around Monterey, California during the 19th Century. It was first made by Franciscan friars, who used cow's milk. Businessman David Jack sold it commercially and as a result, it became known as Monterey jack. Monterey jack melts well and is commonly used in Mexican dishes. Monterey jack can be combined with hot peppers to form pepper jack.

It can also be aged to dry it out, like parmesan cheese, and enhance its flavor.

Answer: onion

In the 1930s, the Vidalia onion was discovered as a cultivar being grown in eastern Georgia. Its sweetness is attributed to a lack of sulfur in the soil it is grown in. The food chain Piggly Wiggly helped distribute Vidalia onions to large parts of the country, and in 1986, it became a trademarked item. By US federal regulations, vidalia onions are produced in Vidalia, Georgia and neighboring areas.

It has its own organization -- The Vidalia Onion Committee -- dedicated to propagating it.

Answer: steak

In the 1930s, Pat Olivieri sold hot dogs in south Philadelphia. One day, he created a steak sandwich instead, and somebody suggested he sell those instead. By 1940, he had established Pat's King of Steaks which was open 24 hours a day. The formula for a Philadelphia cheesesteak has changed little since then, consisting mainly of grilled steak in a grease-filled roll. Optional toppings include mushrooms, onions, and cheez wiz. Locally, Pat's has a famous rivalry with Geno's, which was established in 1966.

Answer: lime

The Key lime is one of many citrus fruits known as a lime. Though native to southeast Asia, it made its way to the New World and in particular, the Keys of Florida. Key limes are much smaller than most limes, and are noticeably more acerbic in flavor.

They are of particular importance in making Key lime pie, which also makes use of condensed milk and meringue topping. Today, Key limes are relatively rare, as most were destroyed by a hurricane in 1926 and subsequently replaced by different limes that are easier to grow.

Answer: False

Many people have claimed to have invented baked Alaska, but none of those claims came from Alaska. Rather, it was named in 1876 in tribute to the acquisition of Alaska. Baked Alaska is a dome-like layer of cake topped with meringue, with ice cream filling the pocket.

The layer of cake helps insulate the ice cream so it does not melt, allowing it to be baked for a few minutes with the ice cream as part of its final preparation. Some variants of baked Alaska pour whiskey over it and set it on fire.

Answer: blue

Harry Yee, a bartender Waikiki, Hawaii, invented the blue Hawaii in 1957. He did so in order to create a drink that made use of blue-colored Curacao liquor. To create it, he added it to rum, pineapple juice, vodka, and sweet and sour mix and topped it off with a cherry and slice of pineapple. Harry also invented several other bar drinks that are stereotypically considered part of tiki culture.

The blue Hawaii later gave rise to a similar drink called the blue Hawaiian.