How Much Do You Really Know?

     

Recently Epicurious.com posed the question, "How Much Do you Really Know About Italian Food?"  The article began with this statement:

     "Everyone has an idea about what Italian cuisine is.  But like the United States, Italy has distinct regions, each with its own signature recipes, techniques, and ingredients.  Think you know your caprese from your carbonara?  It's time to find out."

Here are 10 questions to test your knowledge:

1. Which of the following Italian regions is known for its salt-free bread?
          A. Campagnia
          B. Veneto
          C. Tuscany
          D. Piedmont

2. Developed by Neapolitan Pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito in 1889, a classic pizza margherita must contain which three ingredients?
          A. Tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil
          B. Ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano,and basil
          C. Romesco, mozzarella, and oregano
          D. Tomatoes, Permigiano-Reggiano, and basil

3. According to Micol Negrin, Italian food expert and author of Rustico: Regional Italian Country Cooking, this region, often referred to as the toe of Italy, has been influenced by Arab and Albanian cooking, resulting in characteristic dishes laced with chiles and sweet-and-sour notes.
          A. Campania
          B. Calabria
          C. Sicily
          D. Sardinia

4. Porchetta, a classic, Roman roasted pork dish, is said to have been a favorite if which Italian political figure?
          A. Julius Caesar
          B. Marcus Aurelius
          C. Mussolini
          D. Nero

5. Which region is hailed as "Italy's Food basket?"
          A. Tuscany
          B. Emilia-Romagna
          C. Friuli-Venezia Giulia
          D. Umbria

6. La Panarda, an annual feast in the region of Abruzzo, is said to have first been celebrated as a thanksgiving to St. Anthony Abate for what act of kindness?
          A. Saving a village woman's baby from the mouth of a hungry wolf
          B. Saving the town of Villavallelonga from a devastating flood
          C. Sending a bountiful harvest after a three-year drought
          D. Saving a fleet of fishermen during a sudden Mediterranean storm

7. The earliest indication of spaghetti's supposed origins is found in:
          A. Reports from Marco Polo's Chinese expeditions
          B. An African explorer's journal
          C. A sonnet by Italian Renaissance poet Petrarch
          D. A letter from a Sicilian war general, detailing his company's dwindling rations

8. Which traditional Italian dish is made from a new world crop that wasn't introduced to Italy until the 15th of 16th Century?
          A. Risotto
          B. Farina
          C. Polenta
          D. Gnocchi

9. This region is Italy's greatest producer of olive oil.
          A. Lazio
          B. Lombardy
          C. Veneto
          D. Puglia

10. In Italy, if you order spaghetti marinara, you'll be confronted with:
          A. Confused stares
          B. Gales of laughter
          C. A plate of noodles tossed with random assorted seafood
          D. All of the above

Answers tomorrow