Quiz: How well do you know Canadian food?

Sure, we're known for our igloos, ehs and chesterfields, but Canadians have more to bring to the table – literally. We may not have the most notable culinary history, but Canadian food has earned a reputation for being diverse, hearty, and often conveniently portable (for those lumberjacking adventures or weekend hockey tournaments).

How much do you know about the cuisine of Canada? Test your savoir-faire of Canadian food to find out.

1. Your fishing rod-wielding uncle from Nova Scotia is visiting for the weekend and offers to whip up a Rappie Pie for supper. What should you warn your cowering kids to prepare for before they sit down to dinner?

a) A sugar high: this traditional Atlantic repast is a "dessert for dinner" tradition that involves a family-sized maple pie as the main entrée.
b) Nothing but Uncle Henry's usual antics. Rappie pie is Atlantic slang for lasagna.
c) Signs that their relative has suffered a heart attack from one-too-many helpings of this meat-and-potato casserole, usually slathered with butter and topped with bacon.

2. Canadians love a good buffet – the Chinese buffet is an all-you-can eat affair,  consisting of chow mein, won ton soup, potstickers and other take-out favorites. Where did this culinary convention come from?

a) A love of all things convenient. As take-out grew in popularity, Chinese restaurants started offering in-and-out buffets to appease on-the-go eaters.
b) Thank your Scandinavian forefathers. Loggers and millworkers living in Gastown, B.C. were wild for Chinese cuisine and preferred it served buffet-style.
c) Royalty! Queen Elizabeth was overheard referring to a Chinese dinner as a "smorgasbord of flavours" - and a tradition was born!
 
3. If you ask for fish and chips in jolly ole'England, you'll usually get a plate of deep-fried cod and potato wedges. In Canada, we've got fish and brewis:

a) Another name for fish and chips, but "brewis" refers to the cold "brewskie" traditionally served alongside the meal.
b) A combination of fish and hard bread, boiled and served with drizzled fat. Don't you wish you were in England?
c) Not a food, but Canadian slang for troublemaking ("John's son has been up to some fish and brewis, eh?").

4. We can thank our French Canadian cohorts for pets des soeurs, a dessert of pastry dough wrapped around brown sugar and cream. If anyone asks (and we hope they don't), what's the English translation for this tasty treat?

a) Holy flatulence! This translates to the very unappetizing "Nuns Farts". 
b) French Canadians rebelled by creating this "Pastry of Pride" after France was vanquished in the Seven Years War. 
c) With lard, cream and sugar being the main ingredients, they didn't lie when they called this one "Sister be Fat".

5. You host a group of foreign friends for the weekend, and promise to indulge them in some fine Canadian cuisine – including beaver tails. Before they cancel their trip, you might want to clarify:

a) They should be prepared to spend big. The fleshy tail makes for a tender filet, and is only served at the finest Canadian restaurants – for up to $200 an order.
b) Just remind them to bring their Rolaids. This fried confection is basically a very large, glorified donut.
c) Hope they've got a sense of adventure. "Tail" is the polite Canadian way to refer to what comes out underneath it. Sautéed turds is more like it!

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