Fruits & Vegetables
Q: This crunchy vegetable is botanically classified as a fruit because it develops from the flower of its plant and contains seeds.
A: Tomato
Q: This spice, a key ingredient in gingerbread, is actually the dried inner bark of a tree.
A: Cinnamon
Q: This famous French stew, often containing beef and red wine, translates to "beef in wine."
A: Beef Bourguignon
Q: The potato was first domesticated in the highlands of this South American mountain range.
A: The Andes
Q: This French cooking term refers to a light mixture of butter and flour used as a base for thickening sauces.
A: Roux
Q: The green pigment in vegetables that is essential for photosynthesis and breaks down in the fall to reveal other colors.
A: Chlorophyll
Q: This is the world's most expensive spice by weight, harvested from the stigma of a purple flower.
A: Saffron
Q: This layered Italian dessert is made with coffee-soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone cheese.
A: Tiramisu
Q: This beverage, the world's most consumed after water, was first brewed in China.
A: Tea
Q: What is the technical name for a sharp reduction of liquid in a pan, often used to concentrate flavor?
A: Reduction
Q: This fruit, which comes in varieties like Granny Smith and Gala, is a member of the rose family.
A: Apple
Q: The heat in chili peppers is measured in units named after this American pharmacist.
A: Wilbur Scoville
Q: What is the primary spirit used in a traditional Mojito cocktail?
A: Rum
Q: This fizzy drink was originally invented by a pharmacist in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1886.
A: Coca-Cola
Q: This Italian cooking term means "to the tooth," describing pasta that is cooked just firm enough to offer slight resistance when bitten.
A: Al dente
Q: Found primarily in the tropical regions, this berry is the only fruit with its seeds on the outside.
A: Strawberry
Q: This compound, which gives garlic and onions their distinct smell and flavor, also gives them their health benefits.
A: Sulfur
Q: This type of sauce, a staple in Mexican cooking, gets its name from the Nahuatl word for "sauce."
A: Mole
Q: Before sugar became widely available, this sweet, sticky substance was the most common sweetener in the Western world.
A: Honey
Q: To gently cook food in liquid that is barely simmering, usually just below boiling point, is called this.
A: Poaching
Q: What is the main ingredient used to make the Middle Eastern dip hummus?
A: Chickpeas (or garbanzo beans)
Q: This crystalline compound is often used in Asian cooking to enhance savory flavors, often called the fifth basic taste.
A: MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)
Q: The name of this common breakfast pastry is derived from the French word for "crescent."
A: Croissant
Q: The word "restaurant" comes from a French term meaning this.
A: To restore (or to refresh)
Q: This technique involves quickly cooking food in a very hot pan with a small amount of fat, tumbling the ingredients constantly.
A: Stir-frying