Food & Drink Trivia

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Food and drink trivia is the most-requested category for restaurant and bar trivia nights — the audience is literally consuming the answers. This hub combines our two food packs: general food trivia (international cuisines, ingredients, cooking techniques) and food-and-drink trivia focused on cocktails, beer, wine, and beverage history. 20 questions calibrated to work for restaurant hosts running themed nights as well as casual game-night players.

Food & Drink Trivia

1. What is the primary ingredient in beer?
Reveal Answer

**Water.** It makes up about 90–95% of most beers, followed by malted barley, hops, and yeast.

2. What country is tequila originally from?
Reveal Answer

**Mexico.** It is made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila.

3. What type of wine is made from red grapes but has a white color?
Reveal Answer

**Champagne / sparkling wine can be, but specifically: white wine can be made from red grapes by removing the skins early.** (Accept: Champagne or any correct explanation.)

4. What is the main flavoring in Earl Grey tea?
Reveal Answer

**Bergamot orange.** It is a citrus fruit that gives the tea its distinctive floral and citrus notes.

5. What does "scoville" measure?
Reveal Answer

**The spiciness or heat of chili peppers.** The scale was created by pharmacist Wilbur Scoville in 1912.

6. What is sushi traditionally wrapped in?
Reveal Answer

**Nori.** It is an edible seaweed that is dried and pressed into thin sheets.

7. What cocktail is made with vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream?
Reveal Answer

**A White Russian.** It gained cult popularity from the film "The Big Lebowski."

8. What is the most expensive coffee in the world?
Reveal Answer

**Kopi luwak.** It is made from coffee cherries that have been eaten and excreted by the Asian palm civet.

9. What is the national dish of Spain?
Reveal Answer

**Paella.** It originated in Valencia and is traditionally made with rice, saffron, and a variety of proteins.

10. What fruit is used to make wine in the Bordeaux region of France?
Reveal Answer

**Grapes.** Specifically, red Bordeaux is typically a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Food History & Cuisine Trivia

1. What is the main ingredient in guacamole?
Reveal Answer

**Avocado.** The word "guacamole" comes from the Aztec Nahuatl word "ahuacamolli," meaning avocado sauce.

2. Which country is credited with inventing pizza?
Reveal Answer

**Italy.** Modern pizza originated in Naples in the 18th century, with the Margherita pizza created in 1889.

3. What spice is made from dried flower buds and is one of the most expensive by weight?
Reveal Answer

**Saffron.** It takes roughly 150,000 crocus flowers to produce just one kilogram of saffron.

4. What type of pastry is used to make croissants?
Reveal Answer

**Laminated dough.** It is made by folding butter into dough multiple times to create thin, flaky layers.

5. Which fruit has seeds on the outside?
Reveal Answer

**Strawberry.** Botanically, the seeds are achenes, and the red fleshy part is actually accessory tissue.

6. What is the primary ingredient in hummus?
Reveal Answer

**Chickpeas (garbanzo beans).** The name comes from the Arabic word for chickpeas.

7. Which cheese is traditionally used on a Margherita pizza?
Reveal Answer

**Mozzarella.** Specifically, fresh mozzarella di bufala made from water buffalo milk is considered the most authentic.

8. What is the most widely consumed meat in the world?
Reveal Answer

**Pork.** It accounts for about 36% of global meat consumption, followed by poultry and beef.

9. What country produces the most coffee in the world?
Reveal Answer

**Brazil.** It has been the world's largest coffee producer for over 150 years.

10. What does "al dente" mean when cooking pasta?
Reveal Answer

**"To the tooth."** It means the pasta is cooked to be firm when bitten, not soft or mushy.

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