CHRISTMAS QUIZ

Team up on Christmas Day for a family quiz. Bridge the generational gap with our fun foodie themed Christmas Quiz!  If the conversation is less than sparkling, this will help keep everyone happy until it's movie time.

No peaking at the answers unless you are the quiz master!  We suggest reading out all the questions first and asking teams or individuals to write down the answers and then go over the answers at the end.  We have listed the answers separately below so there is no chance of peaking.

CHRISTMAS QUIZ QUESTIONS

1. Which spice, introduced to Europe during the spice trade, became a popular Christmas treat thanks to Queen Elizabeth 1?  Was it cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg or clove?
2. In ancient Egypt, the mummification process prepared pharaohs and other nobility for their journey into the afterlife.  Spices and other foods were used during this process.  Can you name 2 that were commonly used?
3. The Spice Girls were originally called by a different name. Was it A. Sugar and Spice, B. The Touch, C.Spicy Sisters, D.Touching Gold?
4. Which spice, found in many British Christmas cakes, was known as Black Gold and was once so valuable it was used as currency?
5. Chili peppers are believed to ward off negative energy in various cultures.  How is chili powder used for protection?  Is it: A. mixed with water and sprayed around the home, or B. sprinkled around doors and windows to keep out evil spirits or C. burned with incense in purification rituals?
6. How many types of chili peppers are there?  2000, 3000 or 4000?
7. Which spice, commonly found in Christmas puddings, originated from the Spice Islands (now part of Indonesia)?  Nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon or cloves?
8. Wassailing, a British Christmas Tradition, originally referred to what?  A Singing songs to neighbours whilst drinking mulled wine. B. A ritual to ensure a good apple harvest, involving singing to trees and drinking spiced cider.  C. An ancient Norse celebration of the Winter Solstice with mead and spice cakes?
9. Coriander seeds have been found in ruins dating back to 5000 BC.  Where else were coriander seeds used in ancient times? A. In Pompeii’s bread bakers B. In the Great Wall of China for mortar C. As offerings in Mayan rituals  D. As a spice in Viking mead
10. Cumin is well known for its medicinal properties.  Which of the following conditions has cumin traditionally been used to treat?  A. Eye Infections B.Diabetes and digestive disorders C.Eye infections D.Arthritis
11. True or false: Mace and Nutmeg come from the same plant?
12. Cinnamon is harvested from which part of the tree?  A. Leaves B.Bark C.Seeds D.Roots
13. Chili powder is known for it’s health benefits.  Which of the following is NOT a health benefit of chili powder? A. Reduces inflammation B.Enhances cognitive function C.Lowers Blood Pressure D. Encourages hair growth
14. Saffron was imported through Cornish ports during the 17th century.  True or False?

CHRISTMAS QUIZ ANSWERS

1. Ginger.  Queen Elizabeth 1 is credited with creating the first gingerbread man.
2. Cinnamon, cassia, myrrh, frankincense, natron (a type of salt), cedar oil, onion
3. The Touch. Before becoming The Spice Girls, the group was given the name Touch. They later recorded a track called “Sugar and Spice”, the source of their final band name.
4. Pepper. Some traditional recipes for British Christmas pudding and fruitcake include black pepper as part of their spice blend. Black pepper was considered a luxurious and warming spice, suitable for special holiday occasions in medieval and Victorian England.
5. Sprinkled around doors and windows to keep out evil spirits.  In India and Italy, chili peppers and chili powder are believed to have protective qualities, keeping negative energy and bad luck at bay when placed around entryways.
6. 4000.  The world’s hottest chili pepper is called Pepper X which measures 2.69 million Scoville Heat Units.
7. Nutmeg. This was one of the most sought after spices during the European spice trade, known for it’s strong flavour and versatility in both sweet and savoury dishes.
8. B. A ritual to ensure a good apple harvest. Wassaliing comes from an Old English Term meaning ‘to be in good health.’ It began as a pagan practice where people would sing and drink to the health of the apple trees, hoping for a good harvest.  Today, it’s often associated with caroling and drinking mulled cider or mulled wine.
9. In Pompeii’s shops for baking bread. Coriander has been used for thousands of years.  The Romans sold it in Pompeii’s markets as early as the first century A.D where it was commonly used to flavour bread.
10. Diabetes and digestive disorders.Cumin has been used for centuries in traditional medicine.  It’s health benefits are now backed by modern science.
11. True. Mace and nutmeg both come from the fruit of the nutmeg tree.  Nutmeg is the seed inside, which mace is the red, lacy covering around the seed.
12. Bark. Cinnamon is harvested from the inner bark of a tree.  Once the bark is harvested, it curls into quills as it dries, forming cinnamon sticks.
13. Encourages hair growth. 
14. True. In Cornwall, saffron is traditionally used to make festive saffron buns and cakes, a tradition dating back to when the spice was imported through Cornish ports during the 17th century.