Q 01/05

Which spice is the hand-picked, dried stigma of a crocus?

A) Saffron

B) Turmeric

C) Paprika

D) Cumin

Answer · why

A) Saffron

Saffron is the stigma of Crocus sativus; each flower bears just three, so about 150 flowers must be hand-picked for a single gram of the dried spice.

Q 02/05

Which blue-veined Italian cheese is named after a town near Milan?

A) Gorgonzola

B) Taleggio

C) Fontina

D) Asiago

Answer · why

A) Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola is named after its home town north-east of Milan; cheesemakers pierce each wheel with metal rods so air reaches the Penicillium mould and t...

Q 03/05

Which kitchen verb means simmering a sauce, stock or wine so water evaporates and the flavour thickens and intensifies?

A) Blanch

B) Reduce

C) Poach

D) Braise

Answer · why

B) Reduce

Reduce is also how maple syrup is made: roughly 40 litres of sap are boiled down to get a single litre of syrup.

Q 04/05

Which fruit is botanically classified as a berry, despite its common culinary perception?

A) Apple

B) Banana

C) Peach

D) Strawberry

Answer · why

B) Banana

Bananas are botanical berries because each fruit grows from one flower's single ovary, with no stone around its seeds; strawberries are not, since the...

Q 05/05

Which Valencian dish takes its name from the wide, shallow pan it is cooked in?

A) Cocido

B) Fabada

C) Fideuà

D) Paella

Answer · why

D) Paella

Paella is Valencian for 'frying pan'; farm labourers likely first cooked it in the Albufera rice fields with what was at hand, such as snails and wate...