Don't Try to Eat That! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Cassava (aka manioc)

Tucupi is a Brazilian sauce made from sap extracted from cassava, which is a tuberous root. This root contains cyanogenic glycosides, which can act as cyanide if not properly prepared. The cassava, or manioc, must be soaked, dried, and scraped before it is boiled down into a sour yellow juice. Further reduction causes it to turn black which several indigenous group utilize. Typically, tucupi is used as a sauce over duck and fish.

More and more chefs, however, are discovering this condiment and using it as a soup base or an injection to add flavor to cooked meats.

Answer: Mayonnaise

Salsa golf was "discovered" in the 1920s by the Nobel laureate Luis Leloir. He was eating prawns at a golf club and did not like the bland taste of regular mayonnaise in which to dip them. He called the kitchen for ketchup, spices, and lemon juice and blended it into the mayonnaise.

The sauce caught on and was called "salsa golf". It is used with vegetable dishes like heart of palm (palmitos en salsa golf) as well as shellfish and sandwiches.

Answer: Anchovy

Colatura is an Italian fish sauce made from anchovies soaked in brine. It originated in the 1300s in the small village of Catera in Campania, Italy. Traditionally, layers of anchovies and salt are kept in wooden barrels with the liquid dripping from the bottom holes. Since being processed for world wide distribution in the 1980s, the fish and salt are mixed together and the aging cycle has been condensed.

It can be used alone or mixed with olive oil for a condiment that accompanies salads, pasta, or roasted vegetables.

Answer: True

Although it is called ketchup, there are traditionally no tomatoes in this condiment. The sauce is made from bananas, sugar, spices, and vinegar. A food scientist named Maria Orosa, who was involved in WWII, was instrumental in creating foods indigenous to her native Philippines. Since American soldiers frequently bragged on the merits of tomato ketchup, she created a sweeter version made of bananas and added red food coloring.

It is still extremely popular and is used, not just with native dishes such as tortang talong, but also with sandwiches, fries, rice, and meats.

Answer: Paprika

The original bravas sauce was created in Madrid to accompany fried potatoes. It was made of olive oil, stock, and smoked paprika. Over the years, various recipes have also included tomatoes with, or as replacement for, the stock. The smoky paprika, made by smoking pimenton pepper over oak, is the key to the dish.

The condiment not only can accompany potatoes, but also is served over olives, steamed mussels, or shrimp.

Answer: Chutney

Monkey gland sauce originated in South Africa. There are several theories as to how the name originates but one of the more prevalent is that chefs in Johannesburg were disgusted when people put tomato sauce on the steaks and other dishes. They mixed together the sauce and chutney (found in the pantry) and spices and named it monkey gland after a proprietor who worked with monkey glands in his medical practice.

Its BBQ-like taste and consistency make it popular on steaks and burgers but can also be utilized as a marinade or dipping sauce.

Answer: Tamarind

HP Sauce was created in Nottingham, England in 1895 by a grocer. He named it HP for "Houses of Parliament" after hearing they had started serving the condiment. HP Sauce is similar to A1 steak sauce, but differs in a few ways, including the use of tamarind. Even though it's a minor ingredient, this fruit from an African tree adds the unique flavor to the sauce. HP Sauce is the most popular brown sauce in Britain and is used many things such as the full English or Scottish breakfast as well as meat, toast, and savory pies.

Answer: False

The main ingredients of this Japanese mayonnaise are oil, eggs, and vinegar. However, this version uses only the egg yolks in the recipe instead of the whole egg. This gives the condiment a deeper yellow color and custard-like consistency. The Japanese also use apple or rice vinegar instead of distilled vinegar.

The manufacturing company utilizes a proprietary machine to give a unique emulsification to the mixture. It is used on sushi as well as yakisoba noodles, rice balls, and sandwiches.

Answer: Red jalapeno

Sriracha was created, based on a Taiwanese sauce, by a Vietnamese refugee who moved to southern California. He had a background in peppers, so decided to create the sauce with red jalapenos, which are the green jalapenos left on a vine to ripen. This makes them spicier and sweeter than in the green state. To this is added garlic, vinegar, salt, sugar and a few spices.

The sauce became popular in California and has spread across the United States with distribution to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

It can be added to sauces, sandwiches, tacos, salads, pasta, and even cocktails!

Answer: Cod roe

Swedish kaviar, despite its name, is not actual caviar. It is made from cod roe that is lightly smoked and mixed with sugar, potato starch, tomato paste, and oil. It has a high salt level with a creamy, slightly fishy taste. It originated in 1910 in Sweden and was produced in tubes in the 1950s and is still sold in that variation.

It is usually eaten with boiled eggs or sandwiches and has found its way to other countries via distribution in places like IKEA stores.