Act As A Master Chef And Score These Dishes To Reveal Your Foodie IQ
- by Rose Moore
- – on
- in Lifestyle
Everyone has to eat, but not everyone approaches dining in quite the same way. Some people love fine dining and experimental cooking, filling their kitchens with expensive ingredients and fancy equipment to whip up Michelin-worthy food on a regular basis. However, these total foodies are only one end of the spectrum, with other people barely able to boil an egg - and certainly not interested in getting local heirloom eggs to do it, either! These people are more than happy with ordering a pizza or making a quick grilled cheese (yes, with white bread and pre-sliced orange cheese). Most people, though, are somewhere in the middle; maybe you appreciate food, but not the time it takes to make, or you love experimental food... but only if it's going to look amazing on Instagram.
Where do you fall on the foodie spectrum? Whether you are totally obsessed or only head into the kitchen to throw away takeout containers, we want you to rate some of the most delicious dishes that we could scrounge up. From five star main courses to delectable desserts and even old favorites reimagined, these questions are sure to make you hungry - and the ratings you give them are going to reveal just how much of a foodie you really are!
Rate this paella
How do you feel about this fragrant paella, packed with chicken, chorizo, mussels, squid and shrimp? Are you a fan of this hearty and comforting classic Spanish dish, and love that saffron flavor, or do you think that it just looks like someone threw a bunch of leftovers into some rice?
How great is this beef wellington?
Beef Wellington has long been a classic, fillet steak coated in duxelles (minced mushrooms) and often pate or prosciutto, with the whole thing wrapped in pastry and baked. Some feel that it will always be a classic, and Gordon Ramsay serves it in Hell's Kitchen... but others feel it's definitely passe.
What about this gourmet grilled cheese?
Grilled cheese used to be the kind of food that mom would make when there was no time and not much in the house, but in recent years, gourmet grilled cheeses have been popping up all over the country. With gourmet cheese mixes and toppings like prosciutto and caramelized onions, these are not your mom's grilled cheese.
Rate these moules marinieres
This super-simple seafood dish is still a fine dining classic - and it's easy to see why. The mussels are cooked in a white wine sauce, with shallots and garlic (and plenty of butter), and often served with fries or hunks of bread for dipping. Are you a fan of this classic way of preparing the shellfish?
Should bone marrow be a side dish?
Bone marrow has become increasingly common on the dinner table in recent years, with roasted bones popping up as side dishes on the menu at expensive restaurants. Some like to use it as a meaty butter on top of a steak or other main, while some will happily just eat it - are you one of those?
Rate this chocolate lava cake
Chocolate lava cake is a famously decadent dessert, with a warm chocolate sponge that oozes a melted chocolate filling when it is cut into. How do you feel about this rich dessert - still delicious, especially with cream and berries on top, or a bit done to death by now?
What about this sashimi?
Sashimi is a favorite of anyone who loves Japanese food - thin slices of the best quality fish, served raw and dipped in soy sauce and wasabi. However, some people find the whole idea of eating raw fish to be completely disgusting, while others think it is absolutely delicious - which are you?
Seared scallops: delicious or not?
Seared scallops are a classic when it comes to fine dining and seafood. They can be served by themselves, with a buttery sauce and some tomato and herbs on top, or they can be the star of a pasta dish or crowning a risotto. How do you feel about these little shellfish?
Rate this egg yolk ravioli
How would you feel about this egg yolk ravioli, made with fresh pasta wrapped around a single egg yolk, and poached until the pasta is perfectly cooked and the yolk is runny? Served with a warm brown butter and sage sauce and garnished with sage leaves, it's simple, but deceptively difficult to make.
What about this roasted pork belly?
A perfectly cooked roasted pork belly is a combination of soft meat that melts in the mouth, and a crisp and salty skin that provides just the right amount of crunch to balance out the tender meat underneath. Are you a fan of this fatty, salty meal, or is it a bit too much for you?
Rate this jackfruit 'pulled pork' taco
Plant based eating is definitely on the rise, with vegan restaurants popping up everywhere; but how would you feel about this popular substitution for a classic pulled pork? Made with jackfruit, the sauce is the same, and the fruit itself is almost the same texture as the meat would be - but do you need actual pork in your pulled pork tacos?
Is this mushroom risotto delicious?
Risotto is a classic Italian dish, but it's not the easiest thing to make. It takes careful sauteing, stirring, and a constant eye on it to make sure that everything comes together just right, with the creamy rice and rich mushroom flavor. How would you feel about seeing this on your plate?
Rate this spaghetti and meatballs
Another famous Italian dish, spaghetti and meatballs is the kind of thing that many of us grew up on - a pile of slippery noodles coated in a rich tomato sauce, with a few meatballs resting on top. Are you a fan of this pasta offering, or do you think that no matter how fancy, it's just a bit boring?
Beef carpaccio: yes or no?
Fish isn't the only kind of meat that people love to eat raw. Beef carpaccio is thin slices of raw beef, pounded flat and served with a simple dressing of oil and lemon juice, salt and pepper, and usually some shaved parmesan and a leafy green on top. Would you order this as an appetizer?
What about this elevated ratatouille?
Ratatouille is usually seen as a simple but hearty meal, a great example of country cooking. Although the classic version is served as a stew, many restaurants have now brought back the ratatouille, with the veggies thinly sliced and arranged in patterns before being baked - how do you feel about this 'upgrade' on the dish?
Water cake: amazing or overrated?
The water cake is one of the most popular new trends in desserts - although it's hard to make and hard to find! The 'cake' is a little like a jelly, and looks like a large drop of water. Served with a sugar syrup and roasted soybean flour, this Japanese dessert is definitely a destination food; would you travel to try it?
How about deep fried foie gras?
Foie gras has long been seen as a delicacy, an incredibly rich pate made with the liver of a duck or goose that has been heavily overfed. It can be served in many ways, but at Pied Au Cochon, it is also served in bite-sized, deep fried pieces that burst in the mouth. Would you try foie gras this way?
Rate these eggs benedict
Eggs benedict are synonymous with brunch; a poached egg and a piece of back bacon, served on top of an English Muffin and covered in hollandaise sauce. It's certainly a decadent way to start the day, and although many restaurants have their own twist on the classic combo, how do you feel about the original Benny?
Bacon and Eggs ice cream?
The Fat Duck is known for molecular gastronomy, and the creation of fascinating dishes - like this bacon and egg ice cream. It's bacon and egg flavor ice cream served on top of a slice of maple pancetta and caramelized French Toast, and is cooked at the table in the restaurant. Would you love to try it?
What about charcoal ice cream?
One of those foods that has become popular with the wellness crowd is activated charcoal, said to be good for everything from detoxing to digestion... so it's popping up everywhere. Charcoal lattes, pancakes and desserts are hugely popular, as is this charcoal ice cream; pitch black ice cream that can be scooped or swirled into a cone.
Rate these buttery, garlicky, snails
A classic of French cuisine is the snail (or escargot) - and these are a far cry from the usual garden variety! Each snail is slowly sauteed with garlic, butter and herbs, and then popped back into the (clean!) shell to be pried out by eager diners. Would you love to nibble on some snails?
Rate these classic oysters
Raw oysters are definitely one of those foods that people love or they hate; which side of the fence do you come down on? Do you love the slippery, salty, seawater taste of a raw oyster straight from the shell (and maybe with a little lemon or tabasco), or do you think that the whole idea is just gross?
What about this simple pizza?
There are plenty of different kinds of pizza out there, from the dollar slice to the delivery pizza in a greasy cardboard box, but when it comes to the good stuff, it has to be cooked in a wood fired oven. How do you feel about this classic margarita pizza, with some simple tomato sauce, mozzarella, and a little fresh basil on top?
Rate this golden beet salad
Most people recognize beets as a deep red root vegetable, but golden beets are a little sweeter and have less of an earthy flavor than their darker cousins - and are popular in salads. How do you rate these sliced golden beets with some fresh herbs, green, and a little cheese to top it all off?
What about this deconstructed caesar salad?
Ceasar salad is a classic, but many find it a little bit boring... which is where the trend to deconstructing comes in. Rather than a bowl of greens, dressing and croutons, this salad features some long romaine hearts with a little dressing on top, large croutons on the side, and a single anchovy to top it all off.
Is this crispy skinned salmon delicious?
Salmon is always a popular fish, although not everyone cooks it with the skin on. However, this salmon fillet has been cooked to be flaky and tender in the middle, while the skin has been fried to a crispy finish. On top of a bed of mashed potato and peas, how would you rate this dish?
How about this classic clam chowder?
A New England clam chowder is a rich and creamy hot soup, where clams are the star, but cream, potatoes and celery are all part of the equation. The soup may not be the most avant garde in fine dining, but it's definitely well loved, especially along the coast. How do you rate this seafood dish?
Rate this creme brûlée
This dessert isn't just delicious, it's fun to eat! A warm, sweet custard lies beneath a crust of caramelized sugar, so that the diner gets to crack that sugar with a spoon and enjoy the contrast of the hard topping and the smooth and creamy dessert underneath. Are you a fan of the creme brulee?
Is this French Onion soup delicious?
French Onion soup is another classic of French cuisine, and definitely not one for those watching their calories! The soup itself is an onion broth, topped with a chunk of bread and a heap of Gruyere cheese, which is melted into the soup underneath. How do you feel about this hearty bowl?
Dip into this baked camembert?
Speaking of dishes where cheese is the star, a creamy camembert that has been baked (often with garlic, herbs or other additions) until the inside is completely melted. Served with fresh or toasted bread, raw veggies, or other dippables, this is definitely a popular starter for cheese lovers... but do you love it?
Rate this steak tartare
More raw food here, this time in the form of a steak tartare. Minced raw beef is mixed with worchestershire, onions, capers and pepper, and served with a raw egg yolk on top for the diner to mix in themselves. Often eaten with bread, this is definitely a dish for those who love their meat raw... how do you feel about it?
How about this seared rack of lamb?
Rack of lamb, when cooked properly, is an incredible dish - tender and juice on the inside, perfectly seared on the outside, and finished with that flavorful herb crust. However, not everyone is a fan... some people dislike eating their meat off the bone, and others simply think it's a little boring.
Corn on the cob: Boring or delicious?
Corn on the cob is a classic barbecue side, but it can also be found in fine dining restaurants, usually gussied up with some kind of bacon wrap, spices, or cheese on top. Do you think that this can be a fantastic side, even in a fancy restaurant, or should it stay by the grill?
Are these donuts crazy, or crazy delicious?
New York's The Doughnut Project is famous for its unusual flavor combinations, and this may be one of the strangest... a donut filled with bone marrow infused chocolate, with a clementine glaze and topped with chocolate flakes. Would you line up to try one?
Finally, rate this classic BLT
Last but not least, how would you rate the humble BLT? Made with the best ingredients, of course; thick juicy bacon strips, lightly toasted bread, fresh lettuce, and ripe tomato. This can be dressed up or down, but there's a reason it's a classic. How do you feel about a faithful sandwich like this one?
