More Than a Filling Quiz | Food & Drink

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Most cuisines have some form of a stuffed dumpling, where a filling is enclosed by a doughy wrapper. One popular Chinese dumpling is fried and then steamed, and its name suggests a challenge that they can present to the cook. What are these dumplings called?

Answer: Potstickers

China has a rich tradition of buns and dumplings, many of which can be sampled at a dim sum restaurant. Pork is a popular filling, but any meat, seafood, or vegetable can be found inside many different types of wrappings.

Potstickers are so named because they often stick to the pan during cooking -- a cook with a light touch will gently loosen the dumplings when they are perfectly brown and ready to serve.

Har gow are steamed dumplings with shrimp filling inside a thin, translucent noodle wrapping. Pork bao use a leavened, slightly sweet bread to enclose a delicious filling of barbecued pork; they can either be steamed or baked.

Chow mein is a stir fried noodle dish, and while delicious, it does not have a filling.

2. This popular mass-produced snack is a plain, tender yellow sponge cake with a white creme filling. What is its "sparkly" name?

Answer: Twinkie

Twinkies were invented in 1930 and were originally filled with banana cream, which was changed to vanilla during World War II when bananas were hard to get.

Twinkie production ceased in 2012 when Hostess, the manufacturer, filed for bankruptcy. Twinkie fans competed fiercely for the last remaining stock and were overjoyed when another company bought the brand and resumed production of the snack cake in 2013.

Adventurous cooks have produced deep-fried Twinkies (a popular fair food) or created recipes such as Twinkie pie. Contrary to popular belief, Twinkies do not have an infinite shelf life, although it is much longer than a traditional sponge cake (45 days vs. 3 days).

3. This complicated dish has its origin in medieval Europe, where animals served stuffed inside other animals were a luxury served at royal feasts. The name of this dish is a combination of one syllable from the name of each component animal. What is this multilayered preparation called?

Answer: Turducken

Turducken consists of a boned chicken stuffed into a boned duck which is stuffed into a boned turkey, with the gaps filled with sausage or poultry stuffing. When carved, it is a show-stopper, but cooking it requires a great deal of time and expert use of a boning knife.

If assembling three birds into one roast sounds like a dauntingly complicated task, consider R�ti Sans Pareil, a recipe that appeared in an 1807 cookbook. This dish contained no fewer than 17 different birds stuffed one inside the next like nesting dolls, the smallest of which was stuffed with a single olive. Even if a modern cook wasn't put off by this ridiculously complex assembly, they would probably have trouble obtaining the smaller birds such as a warbler, bunting, lark, and thrush.

4. What Latin American dish is composed of a seasoned filling (typically meat, but often cheese, vegetables, or even fruit) surrounded by a corn dough and wrapped in a corn husk or banana leaf before being steamed?

Answer: Tamale

The husk or leaf wrapping is discarded before eating.

Tamales were an important dish for the ancient Mesoamerican peoples for whom corn was a major staple and a sacred food. Tamales are easily portable and may originally have developed as a travel food. Many regions of Latin America have developed their own special tamale recipe.

In the Southwest, tamales are traditionally served at Christmastime or other big celebrations.

5. Baked Alaska is an elegant dessert that is composed of cake, a browned meringue topping, and what surprising filling? (The name may be a clue!)

Answer: Ice cream

Baked Alaska was invented in New York in 1867 to celebrate America's acquisition of the Alaskan territory. It consists of a base layer of cake, topped with a layer of ice cream, and covered with meringue. The dish is easily customizable because it can be made with any flavor of cake and ice cream.

Speed and precision are critical factors in getting a Baked Alaska in and out of the hot oven so that the meringue is browned before the ice cream melts, which may be why some cooks are apprehensive about making this dish at home.

6. A popular Eastern European dish consists of a savory filling (usually meat, sometimes mixed with rice or other grains) wrapped and cooked in the leaves of what member of the Brassica oleracea species? (This same vegetable, shredded and dressed, is a popular cold salad at barbecues and potlucks.)

Answer: Cabbage

While any of these leaves could be wrapped around a filling, cabbage leaves are used for the cabbage rolls that are traditional in many Eastern European and Scandinavian cuisines.

Cabbage is nutritious and stores well, which may account for its popularity in regions with long cold winters. Cabbage leaves are sturdy enough to stand up to the steaming, rolling, and baking that the recipe requires, and the flavor of cabbage complements many different kinds of fillings and sauces.

If you are ever a guest in a Russian or Polish home and they offer you "little pigeons," say yes and enjoy a delicious cabbage roll!

7. Fill an oblong-shaped choux pastry shell with custard or whipped cream, and top it with icing. What delicious French dessert have you created?

Answer: �clair

Choux pastry shells (which are also used in cream puffs) are tender and light. They are made from an eggy dough that is cooked in a saucepan before being shaped and baked.

A classic �clair has vanilla custard filling and chocolate icing, but there are many different combinations. Fillings can be flavored with nuts, fruit, or liqueurs, and the icings varied to match. If you are lucky enough to visit a French bakery, you will have many choices for this elegant treat.

8. Most people think of pies as having sweet fillings, but there are many kinds of savory pies filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables. Savory meat pies are particularly popular in Anglophone countries, many of which have developed their own traditional recipe. Which savory meat pie is traditionally associated with 17th and 18th century tin miners? (Despite the similarity of names, these pies do not contain corned beef.)

Answer: Cornish pasty

A pasty (pronounced pass-tee rather than pay-stee) is a hand-held pie with a savory meat filling encased in a sturdy pastry crust. They have been made at least since the 13th century.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, pasties became popular with tin miners and other workers in Cornwall who needed a portable and substantial meal to eat at work. Pasties are now considered to be the national dish of Cornwall and the production of authentic Cornish pasties is closely regulated.

Meat pies in general are a convenient option for quick eating. In Australia they are always served at sporting events. When I toured New Zealand by bicycle I lived mostly on meat pies -- they were delicious and readily available even in the tiniest towns.

9. This dish consists of a thin pancake or crepe rolled or folded around a sweet or savory filling, which is then baked or pan-fried. They can be served with a variety of toppings depending on the filling. What is this delicious dish called?

Answer: Blintz

Blintzes are related to Russian blini, which are thin pancakes that are not filled but rather folded and served with toppings such as sour cream or caviar.

Classic cheese blintzes are filled with sweetened fresh cheese like ricotta, and are usually topped with fruit. They are traditionally served as part of a dairy meal for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, but are delicious anytime.

To make blintzes you have to learn to make crepes, which are a bit fussy but not difficult. You can simply roll the crepe around the filling like a tube, but it is more fun to do the "blintz fold" which is a bit like rolling a burrito: bottom first, then sides, tuck, and roll.

10. This Asian country is famous for its complex and spicy cuisine. One traditional breakfast dish is the paratha, which is an unleavened flatbread that can be served plain but is often filled with potato, cheese, or egg. In which country would you most commonly order a paratha?

Answer: India

Parathas are typically savory rather than sweet. Their layered texture is created by rolling out the dough, folding it around a coating of butter or oil, and then re-rolling before baking them on a griddle.

Wheat flour is usually used as a base for paratha dough, but the flavorings and fillings vary widely. In addition to potato, cheese, or egg, paratha can be filled with vegetables, dal (cooked split legumes), and even meat or seafood.

Source: Author SatchelPooch

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor WesleyCrusher before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

More Than a Filling Trivia Quiz

Using food to fill other foods allows cooks to experiment with contrasting flavors and textures. Dig in to learn more about how international cuisines use fillings in many types of dishes.

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