1. What is the difference between pasta and pizza dough?

pasta is made from 00 (very fine) flour and eggs. My recipe, tried and tested on numerous occasions is as follows: 100g 00 flour, 1 egg, pinch of salt. Blend everything together in a food processor. When a ball forms, take the dough out of the blender and knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes. It needs to be dryish but not crumbly, so add a little bit of water if needed (sometimes I add a whole egg yolk). Shape into a ball, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes. The dough is then ready for rolling. 

Pizza dough uses the same recipe as a plain white bread recipe. Only prove once and then place into your pizza tray, or shape to your liking.

2. Why and where was the “bunny chow” created?

Bunny chows were created so that the Indian Migrant Workers could take their lunch to work with them in the cane fields in Natal. These would have been created in Durban by the Indians. 

3. What is Bocconcini?

These are small balls of Water Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese – an unripened semi soft white cheese. The balls are bite size, the word itself translates as small mouthfulls. In South Africa there is only one farm that makes Fior de Latte and that is Buffalo Ridge farm outside of Wellington. It is a family owned farm, and FIL and SIL take great pride in the produce. Make sure you ask for this by name when looking for this really great product. 

4. When cooking rice, what is the proportion of rice to water?

My mom told me: 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water. I have never read the packet instructions but this works for me. 

5. Is sifting flour really necessary and why do some recipes call for flour to be sifted more than once?

yes, sifting the flour removes any lumps and in pastry this is very important. the second sifting would ensure a smoother flour.

6. What do watermelon, spanspek and sweet melon have in common?

they all grow on a vine like herb

7. What is the difference between mousse and jelly?

a mousse is made from eggs and/or eggs and cream. Jelly is a gelatin based dessert. 

8. Pawpaw is native to which country?

North America 

9. What is melted butter with the sediments removed called?

clarified butter or ghee 

10. Which Disney movie made the meatball famous?

the lady and the tramp (I have never seen it but this is the one scene I know!) 

11. What is a roux?

A mixture of wheat flour and clarified butter used as a thickening agent when make béchamel sauce or sauce veloute. 

12. Name the 5 main traditional ingredients in basil pesto.

Pine nuts, basil leaves, olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic. 

13. Who developed the milk sterilization method that we still use today?

Pastuerization  was developed by Louis Pasteur.  

14. What is the advantage of using arrowroot instead of corn flour in a sauce?

arrowroot does not add any flavour or colour to the sauce 

15. What are Yorkshire puddings known as in America?

Popovers?

Tandy

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1. What is “Au gratin”?

A baked dish which is topped with breadcrumbs or cheese 

2. What is a challah and give another name for it?

Braided bread, eaten on a Friday night in Jewish homes for the Sabbath. Tastes yummy in the morning when toasted, so keep some aside. Known also as Kitke 

3. What do Calendulas (marigolds), Daylilies and Hibiscus have in common?

they are all perennials and are edible

4. Give another name for soybean curd and what is it?

Tofu, which is an edible curd used by vegetarians 

5. Strawberries are native to which country?

France 

6. Name the vegetable on which the ancient Egyptians placed their right hands when taking an oath.

Okra? 

7. What fruits are crossed to produce a nectarine?

peaches and plums 

8. Which country produces two-thirds of the world’s vanilla?

Madagascar 

9. What are prunes?

part of the plum family, mostly sold as dried fruit

10. What sticky sweetener was traditionally used as an antiseptic to treat cuts and burns?

honey (and we should still use it today as good honey is a wonderful healer)

11. Name the Italian Christmas cake?

(I lost a R100 bet with my dad to this) panetonne

12. How does double cream differ from single cream?

it has has a higher fat content than single cream 

13. Which condiment throughout history has frequently been valued equal to or more precious than gold?

salt (which is why friends of mine won’t place it hand to hand)

14. To what temperature would you boil sugar to get it to the hard ball stage?

my candy thermometer does not say – but a guess at 160deg C

15. What seeds are commonly associated with rye bread?

caraway seeds

Tandy

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1. Give another name for green almonds.

Moretto is a guess!

2. What is “China Grass Powder”?

our equivalent of gelatine?

3. What is Fleur de Sel?

Flower of salt – sea salt which we have seen in Brittany

4. Cherries are native to which country?

Turkey

5. What is carambola also known as?

Star fruit

6. What spices make up five spice powder?

Cassia, Star Anise, Ginger Root, Cloves and Sishuan Pepper

7. How do you differentiate between male and female fennel bulbs?

This was on one of the master chefs – hopefully I was paying attention – the big fat bulbs are male, and the long slim ones are female. I have them growing wild in my garden 

8. What is the meaning of “smoor”, like in Smoor Snoek?

Smother

9. What is the difference between gremolata and chermoula?

Without looking – Gremolata is an Italian dish consisting of chopped garlic, lemon zest and parsley (and goes very well with fish) Chermoula is a North African marinade made up of parsley, oil, lemon juice, preserved lemons, garlic, cumin and salt, onion, coriander and chillies 

10. Do Fig trees blossom?

it is too windy for me to open the door and look at the neighbour’s tree – and I am trying to remember from my childhood! But I would have to say no, cos the fig is the flower!

11. What is galangal?

Not to be confused with ginger root, it is a root similar to ginger in appearance. 

12. Which seeds are ground to make tahini?

sesame seeds – *HINT* store your tahini upside down

13. Which vegetable is used in baba ganoush?

Egg plant/aubergine

14. What is a more common name for Arugula?

I had previously looked this up when we started watching Top Chef, as they use it so much – Rocket

15. What is the main ingredient of kedgeree?

Smoked haddock

Tandy
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I have been doing PinkPolkaDot’s quizzes since close to the beginning and as most of you are aware, I have been reposting them on this blog from my original blog. Last Friday, Pink posted a new quiz and so I am doing it today. We have been away for the weekend at a family wedding – I have started catching up on replying to comments on my blog, and I have 45 blog posts to read. I am using my BlackBerry PlayBook to read blog posts on. I am not a big fan of advertising, but for those of you who want to know, I downloaded an app called FeedWheel and it is a great RSS reader. I do not need to be online to read blogs, but due to how many I am playing catch up with, please all understand that LIKE means I have really read the post. I will go back to commenting when I have some time. Time today is also not on my side. My staff live in an area which has been blockaded due to protest action. The police have closed off Sir Lowry’s Pass and the entire community of Grabouw is being affected by a handful of people. Now, for the quiz (the original post is here and please feel free to take part in the quiz)

1. What tree gives us prunes?

The plum tree

2. What drupaceous fruit were Hawaiian women once forbidden by law to eat?

Purely guess work here, but I would say coconut

3. What is Tapenade?

It is a dish of finely chopped olives, capers and anchovies, mixed with olive oil

4. What are the main ingredients of Alfredo sauce?

Fettucine, Parmesan cheese and butter

5. What is the difference between Oregano and Marjoram?

Oregano is a common herb and marjoram is the wild equivalent

6. What is the Amla herb and how is it used?

The only Amla I know (other than our two cricket players) is the Indian gooseberry which is used in a pickle.

7. What do you use to make Wasabi?

The root of the wasabi

8. What is the difference between a compote and a coulis?

A compote is a dessert made of fresh fruit pieces, stewed in a sugar syrup. A coulis is a sauce made of pureéd fruit (or vegetables) which is strained before serving as an accompaniment. 

9. What is Alfajores and where did it originate from?

A Spanish confectionery that originated in Medina

10. What is “pão” (pãozinho)?

bread

Please click here to see the correct answers

Tandy

1. Which grain contains more protein than any other grain, is higher in unsaturated fats and lower in carbohydrates?

Quinoa

2. Which dish is similar to Spanish paella, just more spicy?

Jambalaya

3. What is nori?

part of my favourite food sushi, nori is seaweed

4. What is another name for rapeseed?

Canola – looks so amazing in the field – lovely and yellow!  

5. What is the difference between parboiling and steeping?

Parboiling is when you partly cook the food and then finish off the cooking at a later stage. Steeping is when you leave something in water to get the flavour out, such as steeping of tea leaves

6. How many millimeters is one leaf of gelatin?

110mm long, 75mm wide, micron thick (I used my ruler )

7. What fruit comes from a bramble bush?

blackberries and raspberries

8. What is ratafia?

liqueur made from bitter almonds

9. What does the skin of grapes contain that is useful in wine production?

tannins 

10. Does a mealie (corn on the cob) have an even or odd number of rows?

odd

11. Name the dome-shaped mould used to shape different foods?

dariole 

12. What are champignons?

button mushrooms

13. What salad vegetable is related to the loufah sponge?

cucumber

14. What should one do to cherries when baking to stop them from sinking to the bottom?

coat them in flour first

15. What kind of acid is present in tea?

theanine

Tandy
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I am sharing another quiz, I don’t think all my answers are correct!

1. Which Food preservation method is the most natural and economical?

Drying

2. Which oil has the highest smoking point?

Ground Nut Oil

3. What are the main types of vinegars and what are they made of?

Wine, Cider, Fruit 

4. Which three different powders are derived from dry chillies?

Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Chilli Powder (ha ha)

5. Name the unleavened Passover bread?

Matzos 

6. What is another name for a filbert?

Hazelnuts

7. What spice gives curry powder its colour?

Turmeric 

8. Where did Worcestershire sauce originate from?

Worcester

9. Which drink is made up of coconut, pineapple juice and rum?

pina colado

10. What is the difference between relish and salsa?

A relish is a cooked pickle whereas a salsa is a fresh sauce

11. What is a calzone?

a folded up pizza 

12. What is likely to happen if you place eggs straight from the refrigerator into boiling water?

they will crack (add one toothpick for every egg and they should not crack) 

13. What is a gumbo?

Stew from the Southern States of America

14. Bananas are native to which country?

Asia 

15. What is Scandinavian pickled salmon called?

Gravadlax (according to my Swedish friend, the salmon (lax) is buried (gravad) in the ground to cure)

Tandy
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