Mexican Food Quiz

1. Guacamole is made primarily from which fruit?

1. Avocado
2. Cucumber
3. Lime
4. Tomatillo

2. Mexican cuisine was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2010. It was the first national cuisine to receive this recognition. True or false — tacos use corn tortillas in their most traditional form?

1. Both are equally ancient
2. False — flour tortillas are always more traditional
3. It depends entirely on the region
4. True — corn tortillas are traditional, flour tortillas are a later northern adaptation

3. Mole is one of Mexico's most complex and celebrated sauces. Which type of mole includes chocolate?

1. Mole amarillo
2. Mole coloradito
3. Mole negro and mole poblano
4. Mole verde

4. What is the main difference between a burrito and a taco?

1. A burrito always contains rice and beans, a taco never does
2. A burrito is fried, a taco is baked
3. A burrito uses a large flour tortilla fully wrapped around the filling, a taco uses a small tortilla folded
4. There is no difference — they are regional names for the same thing

5. Tequila is made from which plant?

1. Blue agave
2. Cactus (prickly pear)
3. Corn (maize)
4. Sugar cane

6. Pozole is a traditional Mexican soup with deep pre-Columbian roots. What is its defining ingredient?

1. Black beans
2. Hominy (large dried maize kernels treated with alkali)
3. Quinoa
4. Wild rice

7. What is the difference between salsa roja and salsa verde?

1. Salsa roja is cooked, salsa verde is always raw
2. Salsa roja is made with red tomatoes, salsa verde with tomatillos (green husked tomatoes)
3. Salsa roja uses chilli only, salsa verde uses herbs only
4. They are made from the same ingredients with different spice levels

8. Tamales are a pre-Columbian Mexican dish. What are they?

1. Corn tortillas with grilled meat and salsa
2. Fried corn dough filled with cheese
3. Masa dough filled with savoury or sweet filling, wrapped in corn husks and steamed
4. Thick corn pancakes cooked on a griddle

9. Jalapeño peppers, when smoked and dried, become which other chilli?

1. Ancho
2. Chipotle
3. Guajillo
4. Pasilla

10. Mexico's famous Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) has a special bread associated with it. What is it called?

1. Bolillo
2. Pan de muerto
3. Pan dulce
4. Telera

11. Mezcal and tequila are both made from agave — what is the main difference?

1. Mezcal can be made from many agave varieties and is traditionally smoked; tequila must use blue agave only
2. Mezcal is always sweeter than tequila
3. Tequila is older than mezcal
4. They are identical; mezcal is just a marketing name

12. Enchiladas are tortillas filled with meat or cheese and covered in which sauce?

1. Chilli sauce (red or green)
2. Cream and cheese sauce
3. Mole negro only
4. Tomato and basil sauce

13. Elotes is a popular Mexican street food. What is it?

1. Corn tortilla chips with guacamole
2. Deep-fried tacos
3. Fried pork rinds with salsa
4. Grilled or boiled corn on the cob, typically served with mayo, cheese, chilli, and lime

14. What is the primary grain that formed the foundation of Mesoamerican civilisations — and remains the base of most Mexican food today?

1. Maize (corn)
2. Quinoa
3. Rice
4. Wheat

15. Oaxaca is considered the culinary capital of Mexico. Which cheese — soft, white, and similar to mozzarella — is named after this state?

1. Cotija
2. Manchego
3. Queso fresco
4. Queso Oaxaca (quesillo)

16. Ceviche — also popular throughout Latin America — is a dish of raw seafood 'cooked' by which method?

1. Cured in salt only
2. Frozen and sliced thin
3. Marinated in citrus juice, typically lime
4. Steamed

17. Horchata is a popular Mexican cold drink. What is the most common Mexican version made from?

1. Coconut milk and vanilla
2. Crushed almonds and milk
3. Rice, water, cinnamon, and sugar
4. Tamarind and hibiscus

18. Tlayuda is a large, partially-dried corn tortilla speciality from which Mexican state?

1. Jalisco
2. Oaxaca
3. Veracruz
4. Yucatán

19. Cochinita pibil is a slow-roasted pork dish that originates from which Mexican region?

1. Jalisco
2. Oaxaca
3. The Yucatán Peninsula
4. Veracruz

20. Cinco de Mayo is sometimes mistaken for Mexican Independence Day, which is actually celebrated on 16 September. What does Cinco de Mayo (5 May) actually commemorate?

1. Mexico's independence from Spain in 1821
2. The founding of Mexico City
3. The Mexican victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862
4. The signing of the Mexican Constitution in 1917