Foods Beginning with D Trivia Quiz

Answer: daikon

The daikon radish is sometimes known as a white radish, Japanese radish, Chinese radish, Oriental radish, winter radish and "luobo". The word "diakon" means "big root" in Japanese. This root vegetable is grown throughout Asia. It is eaten raw, or cooked or pickled. The flavour is milder than European radishes. It is often found pickled in Vietnamese bahn mi sandwiches.

Answer: damson

Damson plums grow on trees which bloom in the spring and bear fruit in the late summer and early fall. Unlike some other plums, Damsons are not at their best eaten raw right off the tree. They show their flavour and versatility in jams and preserves, and in baked goods such as buckle, crisps, slumps, cobblers, crisps and crumbles.

The Damson is a clingfruit in the sense that the fruit is stuck to the stone. (Chef's hint: Damson plums cooked down with white sugar, lemon juice and a bit of bourbon make an ice cream topping not likely to be forgotten.)

Answer: dandelion

Several species within the genus Taraxacum are known as dandelions, a contraction of the French "dent-de-lion" which means "lion's tooth". They are native to both Eurasia and North America. The greens are good in salads or may be sautéed in the same manner as spinach.

The flowers are used to make dandelion wine. The roots, which have a strong diuretic effect, may be dried, roasted and ground to make a substitute for coffee. Victorian ladies consumed dandelion sandwiches at tea.

Answer: date

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) grows in most tropical and subtropical parts of the planet. It is a flowering tree which produces an oval-cylindrical fruit which is very sweet. They have grown naturally in the Middle East for thousands of years. The Ancient Egyptians made date wine. Dates are mentioned many times in the Bible.

The Spanish brought them to California in the New World in 1765. Moroccans use them in savoury tagines. In the US, home bakers make date-nut bread. In the UK, they figure in several popular Christmas sweet dishes.

Answer: dewberry

Looking rather like a blackberry bush growing close to the ground, the dewberry is a member of the same genus (Rubus). Dewberries grow throughout the Northern Hemisphere; they are sometimes referred to as goundberries, due to their habit of growing lower than other bramble berries.

The fruit looks rather like a blackberry - deep purple or almost black - and is sweet (when ripe) and very flavourful. They work well in all manner of sweet baked goods.

Answer: dill

Dill is an herb with a remarkable history; it was used in ancient Egypt and in ancient Greece. Dill grows wild (hence the common name "dill weed") throughout Asia and Europe. Dill (Anethum graveolens) is a member of the celery family. Both the seeds and the leaves are used as a flavouring. Almost every country in Eurasia has a recipe using dill; the most common use in the US is in cucumber dill pickles.

The leaves are commonly dried and sold in bottles or tins; far better flavour is imparted by the fresh herb.

It is for this reason that freeze-dried dill has become available as this process retains much of the fresh flavour.

Answer: dorade

Sparus aurata is call "orata" in Italy, "dorada" in Spain, "dorate" in Tunisia, and "dorade" in English-speaking countries. All of these names (including the Latin) derive from a gold bar between the fish's eyes. "Aurum" is the Latin word for gold and "aurarius" for golden.

The gilt-head sea bream is fished commercially in the Mediterranean Sea and North Atlantic; it is farmed in Portugal, Turkey and Greece.

Answer: dragon fruit

Another name for the dragon fruit is pitaya or pitahaya. It is the fruit of a cactus native to the Americas. It is now cultivated in most tropical and subtropical parts of the world. The round cactus fruit is covered with a scaly skin which gives rise to its colloquial name.

The flesh is white, pink, red or purple, all with tiny black seeds dispersed throughout which are edible. Their flavour is mildly sweet; the juice can be used to construct an exotic mixed drink called a "dragotini".

Answer: Drambuie

According to legend, Prince Charles Edward Stuart fled to the Isle of Skye after the Battle of Culloden in 1746 and was protected by Captain John MacKinnon of the Clan MacKinnon. Out of gratitude the prince gave him the recipe for Drambuie. The name might derive from an old Scottish phrase "an dram buideach" which means "the drink that satisfies". Whatever its history, Drambuie is a liqueur made of Scotch whisky, heather honey, herbs and spices. (Bartender's tip: A classic "Rusty Nail" cocktail is made by pouring two parts Scotch whisky and one part Drambuie on the rocks in an old-fashioned glass.)

Answer: durian

Those who have smelt and tasted durian, mostly visitors to Malaysia and Thailand, report an awful odour variously compared to rotten onions, raw sewage, gym socks, stale vomit, and skunk spray. The pudding-like interior of the mature durian is good to eat.

Some areas prohibit its sale in public markets and ban it from hotels and public transportation. The horny exterior is opened to reveal a cream-coloured pulp tasting of almonds.