The turkey will soon be a pile of scraps, the potatoes, cranberries and dinner rolls will be finished off or destined for the compost heap. But before you close your eyes and drift into unconsciousness (or go into cooking overdrive, if you're just starting to prepare the big meal), let's put your food knowledge to the test.
As host of "Bizarre Foods" on the Travel Channel, Andrew Zimmern has tasted the unusual from here to Jakarta. Now he has a board game that looks at the cultural oddities and unusual foods from around the world.
"Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre Game" starts out as a trivia game, but has a twist: Its focus is to bluff other players with plausible answers. And that's a good thing, because most of the game's questions are intentionally near-impossible to answer.
We're making it easier for you. It's Thanksgiving, after all, and our brains are a bit sleepy from all the food. So we've picked out the few questions that you might know about food. No need to bluff (or fake) anyone today -- unless you're playing football.
Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre Game, by Discovery Bay Games, is available online only at amazon.com.
QUESTIONS
1. In the coastal towns of Trinidad, what type of fish is typically deep-fried and served in sandwiches?
2. The root of what native South American plant is used to create tapioca?
3. Made from cassava or yams boiled and pounded into a paste, this West African dish is a staple of the region. What is this starchy dish called?
4. Poutine, a Quebec diner staple, is a plate of French fries topped with what two artery-clogging goodies?
5. During a visit to Mali, you notice locals chewing (but not eating) what?
6. What dish do the Amish and Mennonite people of Pennsylvania make out of cornmeal, flour and hog offal?
7. You're eating a tasty noodle dish in Kyoto, Japan. How do you compliment the chef?
8. You're in Oaxaca City, Mexico, on Dec. 23. It's the night of what vegetable?
9. Escarmole, a Mexican insect caviar, is made from the eggs of what?
10. What canned Swedish food made from fermented herring is so smelly that it is prohibited on many airlines?
ANSWERS
1. Shark (the sandwiches are referred to as "Bake N' Shark")
2. Cassava (a staple food for pre-Columbian people in South and Central America)
3. Fufu (usually served with a vegetable soup)
4. Gravy and cheese curds
5. Cola nuts (chewing them releases caffeine for a quick burst of energy, but swallowing them can make you sick)
6. Scrapple (resembles pork meat loaf)
7. Slurp it (it's a sign you're enjoying the meal)
8. Radishes (locals grow large ones and create artistic displays with them)
9. Ants (collected from the roots of the agave plant)
10. Surstromming (the continuous fermentation can cause the cans to bulge)
