World Flavors & Gastronomy: Championship Edition

This popular Mexican dish consists of a folded corn or wheat tortilla filled with meats, beans, and salsa.

Answer:Taco

Note:A cornerstone of Mexican gastronomy worldwide.

The staple Japanese dish of prepared vinegared rice accompanied by raw seafood or vegetables.

Answer:Sushi

Note:Traditionally uses seasoned sushi rice (shari).

National dish of Spain cooked in a wide, shallow pan with rice, saffron, and rabbit, chicken, or seafood.

Answer:Paella

Note:Originated in the region of Valencia.

Fermented Korean side dish of salted vegetables, predominantly Napa cabbage and Korean radishes.

Answer:Kimchi

Note:Traditional staple seasoned with gochugaru and garlic.

Rich French beef stew braised in red wine, typically red Burgundy, with garlic, onions, and bouquet garni.

Answer:Boeuf Bourguignon

Note:Immortalized by chef Auguste Escoffier and Julia Child.

Traditional Roman pasta made with guanciale, pecorino romano, egg yolks, and black pepper (no cream!).

Answer:Carbonara

Note:One of the 4 classic Roman pasta dishes.

The classic Neapolitan pizza topped with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and olive oil, mirroring the Italian flag.

Answer:Pizza Margherita

Note:Named in 1889 in honor of Queen Margherita of Savoy.

Long, flat ribbon pasta traditionally paired with rich ragù alla Bolognese in Emilia-Romagna.

Answer:Tagliatelle

Note:Often mistakenly served as 'spaghetti bolognese' outside Italy.

Roman pasta whose name translates to 'angry' due to its spicy tomato and crushed chili pepper sauce.

Answer:Arrabbiata (Penne all'Arrabbiata)

Note:Originated in Lazio during the 1950s.

Delicate layered baked dish made with sheets of egg pasta, béchamel, and meat ragù.

Answer:Lasagna alla Bolognese

Note:One of Italy's most celebrated oven-baked specialties.

Vietnamese sandwich consisting of a crispy baguette split lengthwise and filled with pâté, meats, and pickled vegetables.

Answer:Bánh Mì

Note:A delicious French-Vietnamese culinary fusion.

Popular Middle Eastern street food made of spiced mashed chickpeas or fava beans, formed into balls and deep-fried.

Answer:Falafel

Note:Commonly served in warm pita bread with tahini.

Belgian street snack famously served twice-fried in beef tallow, served in paper cones with mayonnaise.

Answer:Belgian Fries (Frites)

Note:Belgium is world-renowned for its artisanal friteries.

Greek street food featuring spit-roasted meat wrapped in pita with tzatziki, tomatoes, and fries.

Answer:Gyros

Note:Named after the turning spit (gyros in Greek).

Canadian Quebecois comfort street food composed of French fries and fresh cheese curds smothered in hot brown gravy.

Answer:Poutine

Note:Emerged in rural Centre-du-Québec dairy regions in the late 1950s.

The world's most expensive spice by weight, derived from the stigmas of a purple crocus flower.

Answer:Saffron

Note:Requires roughly 75,000 blossoms to produce one pound.

A bright yellow spice fundamental to curry powder, famed for its compound curcumin.

Answer:Turmeric

Note:Belongs to the ginger family (Zingiberaceae).

Pungent green paste served with sushi, made from the grated rhizome of Japanese horseradish.

Answer:Wasabi

Note:True wasabi is Wasabia japonica; most commercial pastes use horseradish.

Spicy North African chili pepper paste blended with roasted peppers, garlic, caraway, and coriander.

Answer:Harissa

Note:Inscribed on UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in Tunisia.

The bark of this tropical evergreen tree is harvested and dried into quills to make a sweet baking spice.

Answer:Cinnamon

Note:Ceylon cinnamon is considered true cinnamon.

Coffee-flavoured Italian dessert made of ladyfingers dipped in espresso, layered with mascarpone cream and cocoa.

Answer:Tiramisù

Note:Its name literally translates to 'pick me up'.

Renowned hard Italian cheese nicknamed the 'King of Cheeses', produced strictly in Parma and Reggio Emilia.

Answer:Parmigiano Reggiano

Note:Aged between 12 to 36 months under strict PDO laws.

Classic French dessert featuring rich vanilla custard base topped with a contrasting layer of hardened caramelized sugar.

Answer:Crème Brûlée

Note:Literally 'burnt cream' in French.

Pungent French soft cow's milk cheese with a bloomy rind, named after the historic region east of Paris.

Answer:Brie (or Camembert)

Note:Called the 'Queen of Cheeses' since the Congress of Vienna.

Austrian Viennese chocolate sponge cake with thin layers of apricot jam and dark chocolate icing.

Answer:Sachertorte

Note:Invented by Franz Sacher in 1832 for Prince Metternich.