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Food & Drink
How Food Is Made
Fermentation, curing, baking — the processes behind ordinary food.
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What makes bread dough rise?
From the Kitchen
Ten questions on ingredients, origins and the small transformations that make food work, each with the story behind it.
About this topic
Most of us cook or eat things daily without knowing what they are made of or where the name came from. This quiz covers exactly that: the plant behind chocolate, the flower behind the world's costliest spice, the process that turns juice into wine. It moves across cuisines rather than settling in one, because the history of food is mostly a history of ingredients travelling. The explanations add the origin and the method, which tends to make the dish easier to remember and easier to cook.
Questions & answers
From the Kitchen: all 10 questions and answers
Every question in this quiz is listed below with its correct answer and the reasoning behind it. Play first if you would rather not see the answers — or read through as a study sheet.
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1Which spice is harvested from the stigmas of a crocus flower?
- A Saffron Correct
- B Paprika
- C Cardamom
- D Turmeric
Answer: A. Saffron
Why: Each flower yields only three stigmas, all picked by hand, which is why saffron is the most expensive spice by weight. Turmeric is often substituted for colour but tastes nothing alike.
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2Chocolate is made from the seeds of which plant?
- A The coconut palm
- B The cacao tree Correct
- C The coffee shrub
- D The vanilla orchid
Answer: B. The cacao tree
Why: Cacao pods hold seeds that are fermented, dried and roasted before grinding. Raw cacao seeds are bitter and taste almost nothing like the finished product.
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3The dish paella originates from which country?
- A Italy
- B Greece
- C Spain Correct
- D Portugal
Answer: C. Spain
Why: It comes from the Valencia region on Spain's east coast, where it was cooked outdoors over an open fire. The name refers to the wide shallow pan rather than the recipe.
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4Tofu is made from which ingredient?
- A Chickpeas
- B Soybeans Correct
- C Rice
- D Wheat
Answer: B. Soybeans
Why: Soy milk is curdled and pressed into blocks, much as dairy milk is turned into cheese. It originated in China and spread across East Asia.
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5Marzipan is made principally from which nut?
- A Hazelnuts
- B Almonds Correct
- C Walnuts
- D Pistachios
Answer: B. Almonds
Why: Ground almonds are combined with sugar and a binding agent to make a pliable paste. Its softness is why it is used for moulded shapes and cake covering.
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6Guacamole is based on which fruit?
- A Lime
- B Mango
- C Tomato
- D Avocado Correct
Answer: D. Avocado
Why: Avocado is botanically a fruit, specifically a large berry with a single seed. The dish dates back to the Aztecs, whose name for it gives us the modern word.
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7Which process converts grape juice into wine?
- A Evaporation
- B Pasteurisation
- C Fermentation Correct
- D Distillation
Answer: C. Fermentation
Why: Yeast consumes the sugars in the juice and produces alcohol and carbon dioxide. Distillation is a later, separate process used for spirits rather than wine.
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8Sushi rice is traditionally seasoned with what?
- A Lemon juice
- B Sesame oil
- C Soy sauce
- D Vinegar Correct
Answer: D. Vinegar
Why: Rice is dressed with vinegar, sugar and salt, which is where the name sushi comes from. The word refers to the seasoned rice, not to raw fish.
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9Champagne, by law, must come from a region of which country?
- A Italy
- B Switzerland
- C Belgium
- D France Correct
Answer: D. France
Why: Only sparkling wine from the Champagne region may use the name in most markets. Comparable wines made elsewhere go by other names, such as cava or prosecco.
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10Basmati rice is traditionally grown in which part of the world?
- A The Indian subcontinent Correct
- B Eastern Europe
- C West Africa
- D Central America
Answer: A. The Indian subcontinent
Why: It is grown mainly in northern India and Pakistan, particularly around the Himalayan foothills. The name comes from a Hindi word meaning fragrant.
Frequently Asked Questions
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