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Orbridge Presents: Test Your Knowledge of Italian Food

Guests of Orbridge's wine-and-cuisine-themed "Flavors" programming throughout Italy enjoy an immersive and informative small-group experience featuring a balance of unbeatable sightseeing with hands-on culinary and wine activities.

Join us on Flavors of Northern Italy, Flavors of Chianti, or Flavors of Sicily tours and discover how history and geography have both played a part in making the cooking of Italy so intensely regional.

To test your knowledge of Italy's cuisine, take our fun quiz below.

1. This rich, filling Italian comfort food hails from the mountainous Valtellina valley in the shadow of the Alps. The noodles consist of about eighty percent buckwheat, a staple crop in the region for centuries. Essential ingredients are flour, bold, melty cheese, vegetables (potatoes and savoy cabbage are typically used), plus garlic and butter. What's the name of this dish?

A.) pasticceria B.) pizzoccheri C.) puttanesca D.) piselli

2. From the Greeks to the Spaniards, passing through the Romans and the Arabs, they all have contributed to influence this cuisine. Dried fruit, sweet-and-sour sauces, fish, and olive oil are common ingredients, and raisins and saffron crop up in famous dishes. Arguably Italy's most famous dessert, cannoli (pictured below), are also proudly displayed here. Where is this?

A.) Sicily B.) Emilia-Romagna C.) Lazio D.) Lombardy

3. Which traditional Italian dish is made from a New World crop that wasn't introduced to Italy until the 15th or 16th century?

A.) risotto B.) farina C.) polenta D.) gnocchi

4. What's the name of the butterfly-shaped pasta pictured below?

A.) fettuccine B.) fusilli C.) fazzoletti D.) farfalle

5. Made without salt, bread that traditionally accompanies meals in this region balances out the otherwise highly seasoned food.

A.) Piedmonte B.) Campania C.) Tuscany D.) Veneto

6. Named in honor of Queen Margherita of Savoy, pizza Margherita is traditionally topped with tomato, fresh mozzarella, and which herb?

A.) basil B.) rosemary C.) bay leaves D.) sage

7. Which region of Italy is famous for producing balsamic vinegar, prosciutto di Parma, and Parmigiano-Reggiano?

A.) Emilia-Romagna B.) Veneto C.) Calabria D.) Tuscany

8. What's for dinner? Tonight, let's prepare a Tuscan recipe, typical of the region’s farming culture. In the kitchen we've assembled mature tomatoes, bread, extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves, salt and black pepper, a sprig of basil, vegetable stock, onion, celery, and carrot. Which of these dishes will we be having?

A.) osso buco B.) pappa al pomodoro C.) arancini D.) coste al gratin

9. In Italy, gelatai (sellers of gelato) go way beyond the typical chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. Gelaterias offer a ton of fruit-based flavors, as well as richer dessert ones. Popular gelato flavors include bacio (chocolate hazelnut), stracciatella (vanilla with streaks of chocolate chip), limone (lemon), pistacchio (pistachio), fico (fig), and cocco (coconut). To get a scoop of gelato doused in espresso, you should order:

A.) gelato con panna B.) affogato C.) brioche con gelato D.) None of these

10. Wine also represents an important component in Italy's identity, culture, and culinary traditions. Did you know that Italy's wine production outpaces that of any other country in the world? Italy is home to hundreds of native grape varieties, and geographic differences of the country make for a wide range of styles. Which is Italy's most planted grape variety?

A.) Pinot grigio, grown extensively in Northern Italy B.) Aglianico, a dark, musty varietal that dominates production in Campania and Basilicata C.) Cortese, a fresh white grape variety grown in Piedmont D.) Sangiovese, widely planted in Abruzzo.

Score your quiz with the answers below!

Italian Food Quiz Answers: 1. B, 2. A, 3. C, 4. D, 5. C, 6. A, 7. A, 8. B, 9. B, 10. D

How'd things "pan" out? Whether you aced the test or could use more study, there's always something to learn. Join us in person on one of our three Italian Flavors tours for fun, hands-on instruction in the most appetizing of "classrooms."

Created By
Orbridge Destination Specialists
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Credits:

Created with images by agcreativelab - "Italian food" • viperagp - "Magnifying glass over a map of Italy" • Mi.Ti. - "Pizzoccheri, italian homemade pasta." • avenue49 - "dolci ricotta sicilia" • timolina - "Breakfast. Polenta with mushrooms and poached egg" • HandmadePictures - "Portion of Raw Farfalle" • Marco Mayer - "ribollita traditional tuscany soup, selective focus" • am13photo - "Prepering margherita pizza with mozzarella for baking" • elenarostunova - "Parmesan is on the table for sale on the market. Parmigiano-Reggiano is made from unpasteurized cow's milk" • vpardi - "Pappa al pomodoro servita nel piatto e ambientata" • TravelPhotography - "italian gelato gelatto ice cream display in shop" • George Dolgikh - "Wine and cheese"