By Kimberly Kaye
A big thank you to all the dedicated eaters who participated in our "So You Think You Know Food" challenge; you have impressed me with both your imagination and culinary knowledge. While I would love to announce Jess Guyon of NY as our champion (her commitment to wit is unmatched in all capacities – she took the time to list 10 chefs/culinarians with the first name Herbert in response to question 6), we have an indisputable victor: Efrem Oshinsky! A shout out to the wonderful Taqueria, who will be feeding Efrem in celebration of his culinary prowess.
We would like to remind all contestants that the answers given must have been closest to those published in 1935 – meaning that some perfectly correct answers were not quite correct in the context of this quiz (which is wildly dated and often vague – see the author’s explanation of tempura if you don’t believe us).
Stay tuned for more interactive goodness like this in the future, and in the meantime – go eat something wonderful. Answers after the jump:
1. Give the principal ingredients of the following sauces:
1) Bechamel – cream, milk, butter, flour, parsley, onion
(2) Bordelaise – butter, olive oil, garlic
(3) Bearnaise – butter, egg yolks, shallots, vinegar, mustard (though Jess G. ‘s suggestion of equal parts bear and mayonnaise would be far more interesting)
(4) Beurre Noire – browned butter, vinegar
(5) Mornay – roux, cream, egg yolks, grated cheese
2. Name five French and five Italian Cheeses.
French – Camembert, Brie, Roquefort, Pont l’Eveque, Bondon, Petite Suisse, Coeur de la Crème
Italian – Bel Paese, Parmesan, Gorgonzola, Ricotta, Galbani, Matzerella
3. What kind of cheese would you use in onion soup?
Parmesan
4. What kind of cheese would you use in a Welsh rare-bit?
American or Cheshire
5. Name ten ways of preparing/serving potatoes OTHER than boiling, baking, mashing or frying.
Rissole, Au Gratin, Hashed Brown, Hashed in Cream, Anna, Souffle, Paysanne, Duchess, Julienne, Escalloped, Lyonnaise, Gaufrette, Savory, O’Brien
6. Name ten culinary herbs.
Thyme, sage, marjoram, basil, tarragon, parlsey, fennel, anise, savory, balm, mint, chervil, coriander
7. What king is said to have died from eating too many lampreys?
King Henry I of England
8. What famous man first used the symbol of a chicken in every pot to express his desire for national prosperity?
King Henri IV of France, aka “Le Roi de Poule-Au-Pot”
9. Who said of the English that they had seventy religions and only one sauce?
Voltaire
10. Briefly describe the following dishes:
1) Osso bucco – Grilled beef bones. Italian.
(2) Tempura – Shrimps puffed and fried in the Japanese manner.
(3) Shashlik – Lamb roasted on a spit or skewers. Russian.
(4) Pan Dowdy – Rhode Island version of apple pie. Has no top-crust, is served with cream or hard sauce.
11. What is the name of the 17th century chef whose death the French’s Madame de Sevigne graphically described, and why did he kill himself (*note: bonus points for whoever makes up the most creative reason for suicide, regardless of historical accuracy).
Vatel, the distinguished chief chef and maitre d’hotel of the Prince de Conde. Conde was entertaining Louis XIV at Chantilly and on the first evening of the King’s arrival two things occurred which severely wounded Vatel’s pride and self-esteem. At dinner several tables of illustrious guests were not served with roast, through an underling’s negligence, and the fireworks display that the maitre d’hotel had personally arranged was a literal fizzle. Vatel retired to bed in the depths of gloom and rose the next morning to find that a special fish he had ordered for the evening’s grand banquet was not forthcoming. This was the coup de grace. Crying “I cannot support this affront – I have lost my honor!” Vatel rushed into his room, locked himself in, and drove a sword through his heart.
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