Food History

UPDATE: Recipe Writing Week Kickoff, and a Quiz

June 25, 2012

Post It Note in Cookbook

UPDATE: Answers are now bolded below!

What makes a good recipe, and how do you write one? What makes an original recipe? What do the most important people in the food world have to say about recipe-writing, and what are their trademark recipe-writing styles? 

Shop the Story

Welcome to FOOD52's Recipe Writing Week, where we'll be answering all of those questions -- and then some. Each day, we'll feature one (or more!) special features about all things reclpe-related, plus tips and insight from the best in the business.

But first: we have questions for you

Take our recipe-writing quiz below, and (unlike in real school) feel free to shout out, discuss, and debate the answers in the comments. We'll be posting the answers at the end of the week -- so get studying!

Stacked cookbooks

In what modern publication was this term coined?

1) "Foodie"

a. Bon Appetit Magazine
b. The New Yorker
c. New York Magazine
d. The San Francisco Chronicle

2) "Artisanal"

a. The New York Times
b. Gourmet Magazine
c. Saveur Magazine
d. The Los Angeles Times

3) "Umami"

a. National Geographic
b. The New Scientist
c. The New Yorker
d. Popular Science

In which city did each of these dishes originate?

4) Spaghetti and Meatballs

a. New York, New York
b. New Orleans, Louisiana
c. Naples, Italy
d. Chicago, Illinois

5) Green Bean Casserole

a. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
b. Camden, New Jersey
c. Houston, Texas
d. Columbus, Ohio

6) General Tso's Chicken

a. Shanghai, China
b. Portland, Oregon
c. New York, New York
d. Toronto, Ontario

7) Cobb Salad

a. Los Angeles, California
b. Seattle, Washington
c. Las Vegas, Nevada
d. Atlanta, Georgia

8) The Hamburger

a. New York, New York
b. New Haven, Connecticut
c. St. Louis, Missouri
d. Austin, Texas

9) Which of these is the real title of a community cookbook?

a. The Accomplish'd Lady's Delight in Preserving, Physick, Beautifying, and Cookery
b. The "He" Cookbook
c. Man-Trap, or The Way to a Man's Heart
d. Home Cookin' For the King of The Road: Wives of Truck Drivers Cookbook
e. See and Taste That the Lord is Good Community Cookbook
f. Boston-Based Flight Attendants of American Airlines Community Cookbook 

Pommes de Terre Recipe

In what year was the first cookbook devoted to ____ food published in the United States? (Bonus points for knowing the title or author!)

10) Chinese

a. 1923
b. 1946; Madame Chiang's Chinese Cookbook; Chiang Yep
c.  1972
d. 1987

11) Italian

a. 1907
b. 1919; The Italian Cook Book: The Art of Eating Well, Practical Recipes o the Italian Cuisine, Pastries, Sweets, Frozen Delicacies, and Syrups; Maria Gentile
c. 1935
d. 1949

12) French

a. 1780
b. 1890; “Aunt Babette’s” Cook Book: Foreign and Domestic Receipts for the Household: A Valuable Collection of Receipts and Hints for the Housewife, Many of Which are Not Found Elsewhere
c. 1950
d. 1971

13) Japanese

a. 1902
b. 1932
c. 1952; Japanese Cooking in the American Manner; George E. Engler
d. 1982

14) Moroccan

a. 1922
b. 1951
c. 1975; The Moroccan Cookbook; Irene Frances Day
d. 1990

Superlatives

15) What is the best-selling cookbook in the United States?

a. Joy of Cooking
b. Betty Crocker Cookbook
c. Good Homes and Housekeeping
d. Mastering the Art of French Cooking

16) What is the oldest published recipe?

a. Beer
b. Wine
c. Bread
d. Cheese

17) How many women does Glamour Magazine claim to have gotten engaged after making their boyfriends the Engagement Chicken?

a. 5
b. 27
c. 70
d. 1000

18) What is the most-viewed recipe on FOOD52?

a. One Pot Kale and Quinoa Pilaf by deensiebat
b. The New Englandah Burgah by Chef Jason Royale
c. Dirty Chai Toddy by gingerroot
d. Absurdly Addictive Asparagus by kaykay

 

Listen Now

On our new weekly podcast, two friends separated by the Atlantic take questions and compare notes on everything from charcuterie trends to scone etiquette.

Listen Now

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • susan g
    susan g
  • pierino
    pierino
  • drbabs
    drbabs
  • Miafoodie
    Miafoodie
  • Panfusine
    Panfusine
Brette Warshaw

Written by: Brette Warshaw

I'm a reader, eater, culinary thrill-seeker, and food nerd.

12 Comments

susan G. June 30, 2012
Answers at last!
Ready for another quiz....
 
Panfusine July 1, 2012
me too!
 
pierino June 26, 2012
This is fun as food history is one of my favorite subjects:

Spaghetti and meatballs= New York, post 1900, although you find similar things in Naples but with tiny polpette.
General Tso's chicken= I think the answers listed are incorrect. It should be Taipei, afterward adapted over here. See THE FORTUNE COOKIE CHRONICLES by Jennifer 8. Lee (yes 8. is her really her middle name). Chapter "The Long March of General Tso".
Cobb salad= Los Angeles (I think it was the Brown Derby)
Hamburger= New York, late 19th Century, Delmonico I think.
Green Bean Casserole= Probably Ohio. That's their kind of food. These are the people who put "chili" on maccaroni.

Best selling cook book: Joy of Cooking.

I'll be back.
 
drbabs June 26, 2012
I think aargersi and Rivka are right about the pilaf. And I think all those community cookbook titles are real.
 
Miafoodie June 25, 2012
Although it is new I think 'Absurdly Adictive Asparagus" would be the most viewed.
As to the rest of the quiz, I am guessing most of the answers. This is fun!!!
 
Miafoodie June 25, 2012
Although it is new I think 'Absurdly Adictive Asparagus" would be the most viewed.
As to the rest of the quiz, I am guessing most of the answers. This is fun!!!
 
Panfusine June 25, 2012
yep, with the asparagus at a close second
 
susan G. June 25, 2012
Brette, you are having fun at food52! and I'm enjoying it all. We can't peek at the back of the book for answers, can we?
 
Brette W. June 25, 2012
You're right -- I'm having a blast! Glad someone else is enjoying it :)
 
Panfusine June 25, 2012
Is this an open book quiz??
 
aargersi June 25, 2012
This is gonna be great! I bet the most often viewed recipe is the one pot kale and quinoa - because I see that go by a LOT!
 
Rivka June 25, 2012
cosign. That recipe is definitely the most viewed.