Land of Milk and Honey Trivia Quiz

Answer: Quail

Psalm 105:40 - "They asked, and he brought them quail and satisfied them with the bread of heaven."

There are many types of quails, including 'button' quails, and the average size of these is 12.7 cm (5") for a female and 11.4cm (4 1/2") for the male. Quail served with a fruity reduction (a sauce that has been evaporated to condense the flavours) is delicious! I'm not sure that's how the Israelites served it though!

Answer: Milk

Proverbs 27:27(a) - "You will have plenty of goats' milk to feed you and your family."

Goat's milk cheese can be known as feta in Greece (which also sometimes includes sheep's milk), caprino in Italy and chèvre in France. Traditionally, it's made by allowing the milk to curdle, or curdling the milk with the addition of rennet, then separating the curds (cheese) from the whey (the watery by-product). It's delicious served in salads, stirred into a soufflé or sauce, or as part of a cheese board with dried fruits and nuts.

Answer: Melon

Isaiah 1:8 - "The Daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard, like a hut in a field of melons, like a city under siege."

Watermelons are depicted in Egyptian hieroglyphics, and watermelon seed oil is known as kalahari or ootanga oil. The oil is frequently used in baby oil as it is light and easily absorbed.

Answer: The bread of life

John 6:35 - 'Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty".'

One of my favourite ways to use up stale bread is to layer it in a baking dish with grated cheese and lightly sauteed bacon and onion, and then pour over a mixture of milk and eggs. I leave it to soak in the fridge overnight and bake it next morning. I add whatever herbs I feel like at the time, but usually I use sage.

Answer: Honey

Deuteronomy 8:7,8 - "For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land - a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees,pomegranates, olive oil and honey."

I love to use honey when I'm cooking lamb. I fry some onions and the meat from a leg of lamb, shredded, in sesame oil, with a few cloves of garlic. Then I add a good dollop of honey and some sesame seeds and put the lid on and let it cook for a while. About 15 minutes before I want to serve it I throw in some chopped green capsicum (bell pepper) and lots of freshly ground black pepper. I thicken it with a little cornflour and serve it with pasta or rice.

Answer: Pottage

Lentils are extremely nutritious, being very high in fibre, and containing protein, antioxidants, selenium, and B vitamins. They boost the immune system, and support digestive and heart health. Though red lentils cook more quickly, brown and green lentils are generally considered more nutritious.

Answer: Cucumber

Numbers 11:5 - "We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost-also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic."

During their wandering in the desert, the Israelites longed for some of the food they had had in Egypt.

Answer: Pistachio Nuts

Genesis 43:11 - "Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift -a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds."

All the alternatives listed here are drupes. You can see that with some drupes the flesh is eaten, while with others, like pistachios, the seed is the desirable part. Funnily, the seeds of some drupes, like apricots, contain measurable levels of cyanide.

Answer: Mustard

Matthew 13:31-32 is the source of the parable.

Mustard is a versatile plant. The seeds are used as a flavouring for the paste that we call 'mustard' and depending on the variety, is good on hot dogs or in potato salad, or mixed with honey for honey mustard dressing or sauce on chicken. The leaves and stems are both used in the cooking traditions of many countries including India, Russia and numerous Asian nations.

Answer: Lamb

Exodus 12:21 - 'Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, "Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb."'

I love lamb. In Australia, where it's said that Australia 'rides on the sheep's back' we are privileged to get really good lamb. And as we have such a large immigrant population, we also get to have it prepared many different ways.