What's For Breakfast? Trivia Quiz

Answer: On the inside

Similar to a croissant with that kind of flaky, buttery texture, the pain au chocolat is usually rectangular-ish in shape and filled with a small amount of chocolate. Though it can be consumed cold, it's probably best eaten when slightly warm, which melts the chocolate inside and makes them all the more decadent. Couple it with a coffee and you've got a pretty good breakfast.

Answer: Swiss

Popular all around the world (and not just because it can come from a packet and last for an eternity in the cupboard, although that might just be me), muesli was made by Bircher-Benner around the late 1800s and early 1900s. A firm believer that food had a purpose beyond simply filling you up and could be used to maintain health, Bircher-Benner fed muesli to patients in his Swiss clinic, which consisted of raw oats and fruit (he was also an advocate of the consumption of raw food).

These days, there's all sorts of muesli and it can be eaten with milk or with yogurt or whatever you like (though if you use just water, be prepared for it to taste not as nice).

Answer: Poland

Estimates of the bagel's origin place it in the 1600s, as a favourite food of the Jewish people in that part of Europe. The pleasing torus shape of the bagel is probably not the reason it's popularity had spread to many parts of the world; it's probably down to its taste and general versatility. What distinguishes a bagel from other bready products is that it's boiled first before being baked, giving it quite a noticeable doughy texture, even after being toasted. Though it is capable of being filled like a sandwich, its density means it's more likely that each half of the bagel will be topped and eaten separately.

A Christmas tradition in my house sees us scoffing bagels topped with cream cheese, smoked salmon and capers.

Answer: Shredded wheat

Mention porridge to someone and they'll probably think of oat porridge, one of the most widely-consumed varieties of porridge in the world, though other grains are used in different regions (like maize or rice). Porridge is fairly easy to make; it primarily involves boiling the grain (normally ground up) in either milk or water so it takes on a thicker consistency. A centuries old food (maybe even millennia old), porridge is a hearty dish to start the day with, particularly during the colder months where it gives a comforting warming feeling.

The difference for our North American friends is largely nominal - oatmeal is simply their term for oat porridge. Grits is a popular variation in the southern states of America, using ground hominy and opting for a more savoury approach. Popular in Italy, polenta uses cornmeal to create a yellowy porridge which is usually also savoury in nature (and can later be baked or fried if not left in its initial mashed potato-like state). Shredded wheat is something different entirely - it's wheat that's made to look like little pillows and is a popular mainstay of Kellogg's product range.

Answer: Bread

Egg in the basket is quite an easy thing to make. You need to make a hole in the slice of bread (with a circular cookie cutter or even the rim of a glass) and crack an egg into it (obviously while the bread is the pan, or there might be a bit of a mess to clear up). Depending on taste, the egg-bread combo can then be flipped over to continue cooking the other side until you have a fried egg inside the bread.

It couldn't be simpler and it saves you from having to worry about timing the egg cooking and putting bread in the toaster so they're both done at the same time.

Answer: Shrove Tuesday

Pancakes are possibly one of the first things that kids will learn to actually cook for breakfast, as the batter is easy to make and they'll insist on trying to flip the pan to flip the pancake like they've seen on the television. A simple concoction of flour, eggs and milk whisked together will form the basis of your pancakes, onto which you can put all sorts of toppings when they're ready to be gobbled up. If you're feeling très continental, try making a super thin pancake called a crepe and filling it with your favourite stuff. Shrove Tuesday (or Pancake Day as it is more commonly being referred to by those who aren't aware of the day's actual significance) sees a rise in the consumption of pancakes, in the UK at least, and the supermarkets are rife with pre-made, "just add water" pancake mixes for the occasion. I almost never make pancakes myself - it's the dreaded flip that gets me because the ruddy thing is always stuck to the pan, no matter how much I try to avoid it.

Answer: Eggs

So we've had egg in bread. Now let's have bread in egg. French toast is created by beating eggs (I like to add a dash of milk, a pinch of herbs and salt and pepper for the savoury option) and letting slices of bread soak briefly in the mixture to absorb all its eggy goodness.

Then it's straight into a hot pan to cook. It only takes a few minutes on each side, and the result is a delightful dish to wake up to on a lazy Sunday morning. French toast can, of course, be made to be part of a sweet dish by topping it with honey or golden syrup or jam, amongst many other things.

Answer: Poached

Serve most people a plate of Eggs Benedict in the morning and you'll have brownie points for the next month. A ridiculously simple combination of ingredients, the dish comprises (from the plate upwards as that's the recommended way to assemble it): half an English muffin; bacon or ham; a poached egg; lashings of hollandaise sauce.

A quintessential American breakfast food, you'll be marching straight into that kitchen (or wherever) demanding more because it's just so good. If you fancy a bit of greenery on your plate too, try adding some spinach between the muffin and the ham/bacon (or even instead of the meat) for Eggs Florentine.

Answer: Haddock

In the days of the British Empire, many an exotic dish made its way from India to the UK and underwent a bit of variation. Kedgeree was one such dish, a wonderfully tasty and aromatic fish and rice feast. Cooked fish (usually haddock if you want to be authentic) is added to rice, curry powder, a few vegetables if you're feeling brave, and hard-boiled eggs. Though not exclusively for consumption at breakfast, kedgeree is a tasty and filling meal that'll make you glad your kitchen smells of smoked fish.

Answer: Yorkshire pudding

There's no denying it - the full English is as brilliant a breakfast dish as it is terrible. A plate stocked full of bacon, eggs, sausage, beans, mushrooms, tomato, hash brown, toast, black pudding... you'll pretty much be full for the entire day, though you'll also probably have had most of your weekly calorie intake in one go. There are, of course, regional variations to the full English. After all, it's not just served in England. Scottish, Irish and Welsh version also exist, integrating elements of the local cuisine (such as haggis in Scotland or boxty in Ireland).

Yorkshire puddings, although savoury, are unlikely to appear alongside your breakfast; traditionally, these puddings are accompaniments to the Sunday roast, best made slightly doughy, slightly crispy and with lashings of gravy.