Foods Beginning with P Trivia Quiz

Answer: pale ale

The problem with the term "pale ale" is that it does not have one meaning. There are too many styles: American Pale Ale (APA), India Pale Ale (IPA), Australian pale ale, Bière de Garde (France), Irish red ale and Scotch ale. The ingredients vary: dry roasted malt, more hops or less hops, North American hops (especially Cascade), caramel colouring, toffee.

The colours have been described as amber, light copper, light brown, blonde, golden, reddish amber, and copper. The alcohol content varies from Belgium (4-5% abv) to Scotland (7%-8% abv) to England 12% abv.

Some drinkers call pale ale "bitters" while others argue that bitters is a completely different thing.

Answer: parsnip

The parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) looks rather like a carrot because it is related to the carrot. A native of Eurasia, parsnips have been eaten by people since before such things were written down. French and British colonists brought it to North America.

It will overwinter and grow in a second season but the result is a vegetable with the texture of wood. Harvested in their first season, parsnips are good raw in salads and cooked in stews. In some places, roasted parsnips are a requirement for a proper Christmas dinner.

Answer: parsley

Flat-leafed or curly, fresh or dry, leaf or seed, parsley ((Petroselinum crispum) has been used as an herb for millennia. It was native to the central and eastern Mediterranean but now grows around the world. Curly-leaf parsley is so often used as a garnish as to be a cliché.

The Modern English "parsley" derived from the Old English "petersilie" (which is the Modern German word for parsley). Both probably derived from the Medieval Latin "petrosilium" which also means parsley. Parsley is typically one of the herbs in "bouquet garni." In French cooking, "persillade" is a mixture of minced garlic and chopped parsley.

Italian "salsa verde" is coloured by parsley. Italian "gremolata" is a combination of parsley, garlic and lemon zest. It is probably impossible to make Lebanese "tabbouleh" without parsley.

Answer: peanut

Botanically, a peanut is not a nut at all but rather the seed of a legume. They belong to the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae) which is a family of peas, beans and other legumes. The peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is treated culinarily as a nut because it is so similar to tree nuts.

The epithet "hypogaea" means under the earth in reference to peanuts growing in the soil. Peanuts have been in cultivation for over 7000 years. It is an important crop in Asia, Africa and the US. The peanut is eaten boiled or roasted, pressed for its oil, or ground into peanut butter. American peanut butter cookies, Thai peanut sauce, West African peanut soup, and the PB&J sandwich are all dependent upon the peanut.

Answer: pink pepper

Pink peppercorn or Brazilian peppercorn (Schinus terebinthifolia) is not a pepper (Piper nigrum) at all. It is the dried fruit of a South American tree related to the cashew. The dried fruits are pink or red. They have a sweet mild flavour and do not taste like pepper.

While black peppercorns are best freshly ground, pink peppercorns ought not be ground at all but rather added whole to the dish. The accompany fish and fowl well. They add crunch and flavour when added whole to salads. Curry pastes are varied by the addition of finely ground pink peppercorn.

The more adventuresome cook may experiment with adding them to chocolate and to popcorn.

Answer: pheasant

There are many varieties of pheasant found around the world. The distribution of the common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) is a function of the birds being transported to new environments, escaping and becoming feral. In other areas, domestically-raised pheasants have been released into the wild for hunters to shoot.

The name "pheasant" derives from the Latin "phasianus." Whole pheasant is normally roasted. It may also be braised or sautéed. [Chef's tip: Madeira added to the pheasant's braising liquid produces a marvelous flavour in the meat and reduces to a delicious sauce, as well.]

Answer: pine nuts

The seeds of some pine trees intended to be eaten are called pine nuts, piñón, or pignoli. They are an essential ingredient of Italian pesto sauce. They are used imaginatively in meat dishes (often in a stuffing or crust), salads and breads. Pignoli cookies are an Italian-American invention made of almond flour topped with pignoli. In New Mexico, something called "pine nut coffee" is served but it is an acquired taste.

Answer: plum jerkum

An excess of plums in England, beyond those which could be eaten fresh or canned or made into jam or jelly, led to the invention of an alcoholic beverage called "plum jerkum." A sort of fruit wine or cider, plum jerkum is made by crushing plums and fermenting them with yeast, water and sugar.

The typical product is around 5% abv. Well-known varieties are made and enjoyed in Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. Fred Archer (1915-1999) was a farmer in Worcestershire who wrote about thirty books describing life in rural English counties.

In several of these, he mentions homemade plum jerkum and its potent effects.

Answer: pomfret

There are about twenty species of pomfrets, resident primarily in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. The white fish likely takes its name from the Portuguese "pampo." This fish is known in Hawai'i as monchong where its high oil content allows it to be prepared by grilling.

The fish is cooked whole in Thai cuisine. In Chinese cookery, it is braised with pork. East Indian recipes season it with masala.

Answer: potato

Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) grew originally in what is now Peru, Chile, and Bolivia. There were domesticated in both North and South America. The Spanish brought them to Europe in the 16th century. All potatoes are members of the Solanaceae family, which is nightshade. Parts of the edible potato contain the inedible toxin solanine.

The Modern English word "potato" derives from the Spanish word "patata" which probably replicated a Taino Indian word "batata" or a Quechua Indian word "papa", both meaning potato.

The manners in which potatoes are prepared and consumed are too numerous to list here. Who is to say whether potato chips (crisps) or French fries in their highest and best use?