People who love to eat are always the best people: Julia Child
People who love to eat are always the best people: Julia Child
A molecular biologist from Madurai, our quizmaster enjoys trivia and music, and is working on a rock ballad called ‘Coffee is a Drink, Kaapi is an Emotion’. @bertyashley
People who love to eat are always the best people: Julia Child
1.
October 16 is celebrated as World Food Day to commemorate the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in 1945. Their theme for 2021 was ‘Safe food now for a healthy tomorrow’ and their motto in Latin is fiat panis. Interestingly, exactly 152 years earlier, Marie Antoinette, the last Queen of France, was executed on October 16, 1793. She is supposed to have said ‘Qu’ils mangent de la brioche’. What common global food item is ‘panis’ and ‘brioche’ the variants of?
2.
The original recipe for this item used pickled fish, egg whites, mushrooms, oysters, grapes, mussels, or walnuts and some spices. It was only in 1817 that the vegetable we most associate with it was added. This was because it was thought to be poisonous. The Indian Government runs a certified course on how to prepare this. What is this item?
3.
The Kuro Burger (‘kuro’ means black in Japanese) sports a black bun and, more disturbingly, a slice of jet black cheese. Some places even have a black sauce oozing on top of the cheese. What organic item (which is technically a self-defence mechanism) is used to turn these burgers to the dark side?
4.
The earliest reference to this food item is the usage by ancient Aztecs, but the modern version is popular thanks to Dr. John Harvey Kellog. He marketed it as a nutritious protein substitute for people who could not chew food. It is estimated that every year Americans eat enough of this to coat the floor of the Grand Canyon. What item is this that is usually served with bread?
5.
This very popular food item was first made in Belgium by fishermen who, when faced with a shortage of fish in winter, turned to frying potatoes. During World War I, American soldiers learnt about it from French-speaking Belgian soldiers. In 2003, after a certain country opposed the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the Republican chairman renamed the dish to include the word ‘Freedom’. What dish is this?
6.
Cardini was a chef in Tijuana Mexico who faced a dilemma when his restaurant ran low on supplies at the end of July 4, 1924. He put in what he had, which was lettuce, eggs, olive oil and croutons, and presented it as ‘By the chef’. It became a huge hit and soon people started to call the invention by his name. What was his full name, and what’s the dish?
7.
This popular starter, with a two-word name, often has people confused: an animal mentioned in the first part of the name does not have the body part mentioned in the second part. Legend has it that a bar in the second largest city in New York got a shipment of chicken parts, which they didn’t want. To not waste it, the owner, Teressa Bellissimo, coated it with a sauce made of cayenne pepper, butter, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce and served it. The dish was named after the city and is now served across the world. What is the dish?
8.
In a continental menu, one would find dishes described as ‘Florentine’, such as ‘Eggs Florentine’, ‘Salmon Florentine’ etc. Legend has it that the name refers to the Italian city Florence, which Catherine de Medici was from, and that she was responsible for popularising her favourite vegetable in France. The vegetable is nearly all water, and became popular after a certain tattooed sailor started eating it for strength. What is it?
9.
The name of this spice in Tamil literally means the part of the plant it is from. Westerners are probably first introduced to it when they have a doughnut, as it is commonly mixed with sugar. In the Bible, Moses is commanded to use it in the anointing oil; in Proverbs the lover’s bed is perfumed with it and myrrh; and in Song of Solomon, it scents the garments like the smell of Lebanon. What is this spice?
10.
Fugu is a dish made from a certain constituent, which is highly toxic if prepared improperly. Hence the government regulates who can cook the dish. The toxin is concentrated in certain organs but in other places — since it is present in tiny amounts — it adds to the delicacy. Due to the dicey nature and extreme skill required for its preparation, it is very expensive, too. From what source is Fugu made?
