The 20 quiz questions
Question 1 : The croissant originated in Austria, not France.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! The Austrian kipferl, ancestor of the croissant, was introduced to France in the 19th century. French bakers perfected it with butter.
Question 2 : Champagne should be served at room temperature.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! Champagne should be served chilled, ideally between 8 and 10°C. Serving it too warm alters its aromas and bubbles.
Question 3 : The wasabi served in most restaurants is actually colored horseradish.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! Real wasabi is rare and expensive. Most restaurants serve horseradish mixed with green coloring and mustard.
Question 4 : The tomato is a vegetable.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! Botanically, the tomato is a fruit because it contains seeds and comes from the plant's flower. It is culinarily used as a vegetable.
Question 5 : Honey is the only natural food that never expires.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! Thanks to its low water content and acidity, honey can be preserved indefinitely. Edible honey has been found in Egyptian tombs!
Question 6 : French fries were invented in France.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! French fries are of Belgian origin (or possibly Spanish). Belgium claims their invention in the 17th century.
Question 7 : White chocolate contains no cocoa.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! White chocolate is made of cocoa butter, sugar and milk, but contains no cocoa mass which gives the brown color.
Question 8 : Camembert is a hard cheese.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! Camembert is a soft cheese with a bloomy rind, originating from Normandy.
Question 9 : Pizza Margherita is named after an Italian queen.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! It was created in 1889 in honor of Queen Margherita of Savoy, with the colors of the Italian flag: tomato, mozzarella, basil.
Question 10 : Decaffeinated coffee contains no caffeine.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! Decaffeinated coffee still contains a small amount of caffeine (about 2-3% of regular coffee). Decaffeination is never complete.
Question 11 : Carrots were originally purple.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! Wild carrots were purple or white. The orange carrot was developed in the Netherlands in the 17th century.
Question 12 : Foie gras is an Italian specialty.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! Foie gras is a French specialty, mainly from the Southwest (Périgord, Gers, Landes). France is the world's leading producer.
Question 13 : Ketchup was once sold as medicine.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! In the 1830s, tomato ketchup was sold in the United States as a remedy for diarrhea and indigestion.
Question 14 : The word "sushi" means "raw fish" in Japanese.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! "Sushi" means "vinegared rice". Raw fish is called "sashimi". Sushi can actually be prepared without raw fish.
Question 15 : The French baguette is protected by a decree.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! The "bread decree" of 1993 defines the composition of traditional French baguette: flour, water, salt, yeast, without additives or freezing.
Question 16 : Roquefort is made with cow's milk.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! Roquefort is made exclusively with raw milk from Lacaune sheep. It is a strictly regulated PDO.
Question 17 : Bananas are slightly radioactive.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! Bananas contain potassium-40, a naturally radioactive isotope. But the dose is tiny and harmless to health.
Question 18 : Red wine should always be served at cellar temperature (12°C).
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! Red wine is served between 14 and 18°C depending on the type. "Chambré" means the room temperature of old times (16-18°C), not today's.
Question 19 : The Carolina Reaper pepper can cause intense headaches.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! The Carolina Reaper (2.2 million on the Scoville scale) can cause "thunderclap headaches" and may require hospitalization.
Question 20 : Fondue savoyarde is a Swiss invention.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! Fondue savoyarde (cheese fondue) is indeed French, from Savoy. Switzerland has its own version with different cheeses (gruyère, vacherin).
