Canada Day is almost here, and that means it’s time for another edition of my annual food quiz. Give it a try and see how you do. Good luck, eh!
You’ll find the answers to the quiz on the bottom of this page.
1. The cool, dry climate of northern Saskatchewan and other parts of the Prairies has some similarities to that of the mountainous regions of South America. For that reason, since the 1990s, some Canadian farmers have successfully been able to grow:
a. Wheat
b. Quinoa
c. Barley
d. Cacao
2. If someone served you bottled moose in Newfoundland, what would you be having?
a. Moose meat pâté packed in a fancy jar
b. A type of local beer with a moose on the label
c. Moose-meat sausage smoked in a large, heatproof bottle
d. Canned moose meat
3. According to the book One Thousand Questions About Canada, what was Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau’s favourite snack food?
a. Chocolate chip cookies
b. Old Dutch Potato Chips
c. Maple fudge
d. Poutine
4. According to canadacool.com, it’s estimated this is the number of pancakes served at breakfast events held during the Calgary Stampede:
a. 75,000
b. 20,000
c. 200,000
d. 10,000
5. According to its relatively new owners, Brazil-based 3G Capital, Tim Hortons had this many locations in Canada as of Sept. 28, 2014:
a. 1,851
b. 2,153
c. 3,665
d. 8,200
6. Farms in the fertile valley around the village of Pemberton, about 30 minutes north of Whistler, are known for this crop:
a. Asparagus
b. Garlic
c. Blueberries
d. Seed potatoes
7. According to the Chicken Farmers of Canada, a group that represents 2,700 farmers, there is little meaningful difference in micronutrient content between organic and regular chicken, except that:
a. The skin of organic chicken has a slightly lower fat content
b. Regular chicken has 20 per cent more iron
c. Organic chicken has 10 per cent more niacin
d. Organic chicken has 12 per cent more vitamin B6
8. A relatively new and trendy product you’ll find for sale in Canadian supermarkets is maple water. What is it?
a. Maple sap, attractively packaged and sold as a health drink
b. Maple syrup-flavoured soda water
c. Spring water found near maple trees
d. The moisture captured when reducing maple sap into syrup
9. Air Canada’s enRoute Magazine publishes a top-10 list of Canada’s top new restaurants. Below are four that made the 2014 list. Which one was ranked number one?
a. Farmer’s Apprentice, Vancouver
b. La Vin Papillon, Montreal
c. Wolf in the Fog, Tofino
d. RGE RD, Edmonton
10. On some delicatessen menus in New York you’ll see Nova lox listed. What is it?
a. Kosher lox imported from Nova Scotia
b. Brined and then cold-smoked salmon, whose name harkens back to an era when much of the salmon sold in New York came from Nova Scotia.
c. A type of cured salmon from Nova Scotia introduced to New Yorkers at the 1904 World’s Fair that remains popular today.
d. A bagel topping first enjoyed at delis in Halifax.
11. According to the “quick facts” section of the Wines of British Columbia website winebc.org, based on acreage planted, the top red grape varietal grown in our province is:
a. Pinot noir
b. Cabernet sauvignon
c. Merlot
d. Marechal foch
12. Founded in 1928, this is Canada’s longest-running restaurant chain:
a. The Keg
b. Mr. Mikes
c. Harvey’s
d. White Spot
13. According to a 2014 government overview of the Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food System, the U.S. continues to be Canada’s most important trading partner. But in 2012, this country surpassed Japan to become Canada’s second-largest agriculture and agri-food export destination:
a. Korea
b. China
c. Germany
d. Singapore
14. At last year’s Taste Canada Food Writing Awards, this tome was the best of the best in the English single-subject cookbook category:
a. Gastro Grilling: Fired-up Recipes to Grill Great Everyday Meals (author: Ted Reader)
b. Family Meals: 100 Easy Everyday Recipes (author: Michael Smith)
c. Butter Baked Goods (author: Rosie Daykin)
d. The Deerholme Mushroom Book (author: Bill Jones)
15. Courtney-based Natural Pastures Cheese Company won a category award for this type of cheese at the 2015 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix:
a. Brie
b. Cherry bocconcini
c. Both their Brie and cherry bocconcini
d. Verdelait
16. Kusshi oysters are a popular, small-sized oyster grown in Deep Bay. What’s unique about them?
a. Their cucumber-like flavour
b. They are the only oysters native to British Colombia
c. They are the only oyster grown in sunken ships
d. They are farmed by the tray suspension method coupled with a unique tumbling process. The process strengthens their shells and makes them smooth and creates deep cups, making this oyster easier to shuck.
17. Peanut Butter Sandwich, Apples and Bananas, Biscuits in the Oven, and Five Little Pumpkins are all what:
a. Names of paintings by Emily Carr created when she was a child
b. Children’s songs by Egyptian-born, Canadian singer-songwriter Raffi
c. Skits performed by Sharon, Lois and Bram
d. Children’s books by Robert Munch
18. London-born, food personality Graham Kerr is best known for hosting the internationally popular television show The Galloping Gourmet, which ran from 1969 to 1971. Where was the show taped?
a. CJOH TV, Ottawa
b. CBC TV, Montreal
c. CHCH, Hamilton
d. CTV, Toronto
19. This city is known as the “Tomato Capital of Canada” and hosts a tomato festival each August to prove it:
a. Roma, Que.
b. Tillsonburg, Ont.
c. Oliver, B.C.
d. Leamington, Ont.
20. This is not a question, but a request. Go to your keyboards and type out what you think are Canada’s top-five-best-known foods.
Then email your list to [email protected]. I’m curious to hear your thoughts on the subject.
If you do send a response, I’ll enter your name into a draw for my new cookbook.
Eric Akis is the author of The Great Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook (Appetite by Random House). His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
Canada Day Quiz answers:
1. The cool, dry climate of northern Saskatchewan and other parts of the prairies has some similarities to that of the mountainous regions of South America.
For that reason, since the 1990s, some Canadian farmers have successfully been able to grow:
b. Quinoa
2. If someone served you bottled moose in Newfoundland, what would you be having?
d. Canned moose meat
3. According to the book One Thousand Questions About Canada, what was Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau’s favourite snack food?
a. Chocolate chip cookies
4. According to canadacool.com, it’s estimated this is the number of pancakes served at breakfast events held during the Calgary Stampede:
c. 200,000
5. According to its relatively new owners, Brazil-based 3G Capital, Tim Hortons had this many locations in Canada as of Sept. 28, 2014:
c. 3,665
6. Farms in the fertile valley around the village of Pemberton, about 30 minutes north of Whistler, are known for this crop:
d. Seed potatoes
7. According to the Chicken Farmers of Canada, a group that represents 2,700 farmers, there’s little meaningful differences in micronutrient content between organic and regular chicken, except that:
a. The skin of organic chicken has a slightly lower fat content
8. A relatively new and trendy product you’ll find for sale in Canadian supermarkets is maple water. What is it?
a. Maple sap, attractively packaged and sold as a health drink
9. Air Canada’s enRoute Magazine publishes a top 10 list of Canada’s top new restaurants. Below are four that made the 2014 list. Which one was ranked number one?
c. Wolf in the Fog, Tofino
10. On some delicatessen menus in New York you’ll see Nova lox listed. What is it?
b. Brined and then cold-smoked salmon, whose name harkens back to an era when much of the salmon sold in New York came from Nova Scotia
11. According to the “quick facts” section of the Wines of British Columbia website winebc.org, based on acreage planted, the top red grape varietal grown in our province is:
c. Merlot
12. Founded in 1928, this is Canada’s longest-running restaurant chain:
d. White Spot
13. According to a 2014 government overview of the Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food System, the U.S. continues to be Canada’s most important trading partner. But in 2012, this country surpassed Japan to become Canada’s second-largest agriculture and agri-food export destination:
b. China
14. At last year’s Taste Canada Food Writing Awards, this tome was the best of the best in the English single-subject cookbook category:
a. Gastro Grilling: Fired-up Recipes to Grill Great Everyday Meals (author: Ted Reader)
15. Courtney-based Natural Pastures Cheese Company won a category award for this type of cheese at the 2015 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix:
c. Both their Brie and cherry bocconcini
16. Kusshi oysters are a popular, small-sized oyster grown in Deep Bay. What’s unique about them?
d. They are farmed by the tray suspension method coupled with a unique tumbling process. The process strengthens their shells and makes them smooth and creates deep cups, making this oyster easier to shuck.
17. Peanut Butter Sandwich, Apples and Bananas, Biscuits in the Oven and Five Little Pumpkins are all what?
b. Children songs by Egyptian-born, Canadian singer/song writer Raffi
18. London-born, food personality Graham Kerr is best known for hosting the internationally popular television show The Galloping Gourmet, which ran from 1969 to 1971. Where was the show taped?
a. CJOH TV, Ottawa
19. This city is known as the “Tomato Capital of Canada” and hosts a tomato festival each August to prove it:
d. Leamington, Ont.
