the getAwayZ Podcast
Real travel stories and practical guides for exploring Europe the way people actually travel.
Welcome to the getAwayZ. We’re Erin and Lisa, friends and roommates who moved from the U.S. to Europe in 2017. Since then, we’ve spent years traveling across the continent, mostly by car, figuring out what’s worth your time and what isn’t.
Sometimes that travel includes Erin’s teenage son and Lisa’s dog, Rex. Sometimes it doesn’t. Either way, we talk honestly about where to stay, what to skip, what to eat and drink, when to go and what you need to plan ahead for.
Whether you’re planning a trip to Europe or thinking about living abroad, the getAwayZ shares realistic, practical advice based on real experience.
the getAwayZ Podcast
European Trivia Showdown: Food Edition
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Erin hosts a fast paced European food trivia showdown with Lisa, Dylan and Meghan, and it got competitive fast. From iconic dishes to regional specialties and a few trick questions, this episode puts European food knowledge to the test.
We cover classic foods people think they know, regional details that spark debate, and questions guaranteed to make you second guess yourself. Play along and see how you stack up before the answers are locked in.
A fun break from traditional travel episodes and perfect for anyone who loves European food, travel trivia, or yelling answers at their phone.
Hi, and welcome back. I'm Lisa.
SPEAKER_00And I'm Aaron.
SPEAKER_02And I'm Dylan.
SPEAKER_00And I'm Megan. And this is the Getaways Podcast. Okay, so we're back today with another trivia episode. Yay. And today I'm the host, Erin. We're going to do European food. All right. Trivia. Bring it on, man. So, and I'm taking this very seriously. I have 35 questions, one lightning round at the end. Wow. And I need my paper, please, because I'm going to be keeping score because there are prizes.
SPEAKER_01You should just put on the winner. All right. So we're doing our names and then you pick who's first. Is that what you that the deal? Or are you just going to pick me and I'll just blurt it out?
SPEAKER_00No, you just need to say your name. Okay. All right. Okay. So round one is easy but fun. It's a warm-up. Okay. Question number one. What country is and then I'm going to give quick answers, but then we're just going to keep going. All right. So question one. What country is credited with inventing the croissant, even though most people associate it with France? Lisa. Lisa. Belgium. No. Dylan? Dylan.
SPEAKER_03Poland?
SPEAKER_00No. Megan? Yeah. Italy. No. The answer is Austria. The croissant evolved from the Austrian Kipferl. Of course it didn't. It made its way to France where butter and the technique turned into the icon we know today. So does the French admit that? I doubt it. All right. Question two. What Italian food literally translates to little worms? Oh come on, people, I know this.
SPEAKER_01Because you have the answers.
SPEAKER_00Megan, spaghetti. No.
SPEAKER_01Is it a long poster?
SPEAKER_00No. Oh yes. Kinda. Vermicelli. That's vermicelli. I don't know that's a good idea. Question three. Which country eats the most cheese per person each year? And Megan. The Netherlands. No. The Netherlands cheese. Lisa. Lisa, yes. France. Yes. France. France consistently ranks at the top for cheese consumption per person with hundreds of officially recognized varieties.
SPEAKER_03Wow.
SPEAKER_00I think French cheese is better, but I thought the Dutch went harder.
SPEAKER_02The Dutch love the cheese.
SPEAKER_00The Dutch have good cheese. They have good cheese. Okay, four. What is the main ingredient in the traditional Spanish? Oh wait, did Lisa got that point? Thank you, Dylan. Thank you for keeping her honest.
SPEAKER_04No problem.
SPEAKER_00What is the main ingredient in the traditional Spanish gazpacho that gives it its red color? Lisa. I'm gonna go with Dylan on this one. Oh, you're that was a cheat.
SPEAKER_02Tomato? Yes. Good work, buddy. All right.
SPEAKER_01Are you giving stars instead of just a point? Yes. Okay.
SPEAKER_00I guess that's dumb. I'm into it.
SPEAKER_02I like the stars.
SPEAKER_00In which country would you most likely be served chips that are actually thick-cut fries eaten with mayo? Yes, Lisa. England. No. Anyone else? Chips? Lisa. Nope. Lisa already went. If you can't go again, okay, Lisa.
SPEAKER_01Netherlands.
SPEAKER_00Now. With mayo?
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_00You cannot go again.
SPEAKER_01Oh, Lisa. Wait, what was the full question?
SPEAKER_00Which country?
SPEAKER_01Oh, Dylan.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_01Dylan.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_01It's because I knocked all the others out for you.
SPEAKER_00Was it with mayo? Was that the other one?
SPEAKER_03Dorian's dad made the best ones.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Which what French food is traditionally eaten on February 2nd, known as La Chandelaire? Jussifa.
SPEAKER_02Dylan? Yes. Croque monsieur.
SPEAKER_00No. We just wanted to say about you. We still wanted to say that. Oh, come on. France.
SPEAKER_02So we can answer more than once.
SPEAKER_00February 2nd.
SPEAKER_01February 2nd.
SPEAKER_00Megan. Yes. Snails. No. I thought you had it.
SPEAKER_04I have no idea. Crabs. Crabs.
SPEAKER_00La Chandelier. Chandelier. Is basically an excuse to eat crepes all day. There's even a superstition about flipping one while holding a coin. Okay. Two more in the easy warm-up category, people. I'm in the city. This is the warm-up. Alright. This one I think is going to be a fight for who gets it first. What country is famous for inventing Nutella?
SPEAKER_02Dylan.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_02Italy.
SPEAKER_00Yes. What region? What city? Lisa.
SPEAKER_03Torino. Does not count, unfortunately. It doesn't. No bonus points.
SPEAKER_00The last and the easy warm-up is what common breakfast item in the UK? Oh. Is illegal to sell with a toy inside? Breakfast item? I really wouldn't have thought of it. Dylan? Yes. Cereal. No. Megan. Yes. Kinder surprise. Yeah. That is not a breakfast. But that is that's a chocolate treat. That is not a breakfast. Okay, but you wrote these questions yourself? Yes, I did. We didn't have them in the US for a long time, too. No, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Are they now?
SPEAKER_00Mm-hmm. Okay. So now we're going into round two. And going into round two, Dylan is winning with three points. Lisa and Megan both have one point each. That's about right. All right. Round two. The theme is wait, that's real? Oh, wow.
SPEAKER_04I didn't know we were gonna have categories.
SPEAKER_00All right. What country has cheese so smelly it's been banned from public transportation? Dylan. Yes. Iceland. No.
SPEAKER_04Oh.
SPEAKER_00Megan. Yes. France. Yes. France. It's called. Iceland. Wait a second. Can we go back to that? Why Iceland?
SPEAKER_03I was thinking the that fish in the can they have? That's like the world.
SPEAKER_00Fermented whale.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I was thinking that.
SPEAKER_00That is not cheese. Yeah, but like I was. I guess it could be if you left it long enough. So a poison. A poisis is so pungent it's been banned from public transportation in some places. Fans say it tastes far better than it smells. All right.
SPEAKER_01I get my point on this show.
SPEAKER_00Oh, Megan, yes, you did.
SPEAKER_01No, I should have cheese.
SPEAKER_00No, you didn't. Yep. Thank you. All right. Keep an eye on her. All right. What traditional Scandinavian food involves fermented fish? So pungent. It's pungent. It's often eaten outdoors only. Lisa. Yes. Herring. Yes. In Sweden, fermented herring smells so strong that people often open the can underwater. Stromstuming. It's a cultural tradition and a prank food at the same time.
SPEAKER_02It's called stromsteding.
SPEAKER_00It's called surströming. How do you know that? How do you know that? That's the thing I was talking about last round. Oh, yeah. Okay, so talk to the mic.
SPEAKER_02That's the thing I was talking about last round.
SPEAKER_00You said Iceland. In Iceland, it's fermented whale.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I was thinking that.
SPEAKER_00Okay, very good. Pardon me.
SPEAKER_02That should be a bonus point, what I just said.
SPEAKER_00All right. The next question. What animal's milk is used to make mozzarella di bufala.
SPEAKER_02Dylan?
SPEAKER_00Yes. Cow? No. Megan. Buffalo. What kind? Lisa. Yes. Italian buffalo. No, it's water buffalo. I that's a buffalo. I feel like I get that. Megan's gonna get that. All right.
unknownThank you.
SPEAKER_03So what what's the score now?
SPEAKER_00Uh we'll get to it after each round. You're losing. Mozzarella, huh?
SPEAKER_01I said you're losing.
SPEAKER_03But I'm not.
SPEAKER_00Mozzarella de bufala is richer and tangier than cow's milk mozzarella and it's protected by Italian food laws. And what I will say is when we very first moved to Italy for the first couple years, I felt like cheese was making me sick. So I wouldn't put cheese on my pizza very often, remember?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00But I could eat bufala. Bufala. Mozzarella di bufala.
SPEAKER_01There's nothing I nothing I hate worse than that word. Bufala? Yes.
SPEAKER_04I hate it.
SPEAKER_00All right. Wait, who got that point? Lisa? Lisa. All right. Um wow. Oh no, Megan got it. All right. What countr what country considers snails a festive holiday? Yes. Brawls. Yes. Snails or escargot are especially popular during the holidays like Christmas. I'm marking it down.
SPEAKER_01Thank you. It takes a while.
SPEAKER_00They're usually drowned in garlic butter, which helps because when you eat escargot in France, all you taste is garlic butter.
SPEAKER_01And oil. There's some oil in there too. Yeah. But you know what the hardest part is? What? And Lucy can attest to agree with me. Lucille Ball. Yeah. This show. It's picking it up and getting the little bit of a little bit of a colour. Oh, because again. Yeah. It's not easy because it's it's kind of like surgical.
SPEAKER_00What Italian city claims to have more gelato shops per square kilometer than anywhere else in Italy.
SPEAKER_02Yes. Milan?
SPEAKER_00No. Lisa. Yes. Rome. No. I'm going to say one word, Vanessa. I don't know, Vanessa. You don't. Do you remember Vanessa at Vinci Gelato in Florence? I was going to say Florence.
SPEAKER_01Megan. Florence. Megan gets that point. And I went through a whole other Vanessa.
SPEAKER_03But no more one-word hints, because that gives it away.
SPEAKER_00I know. What is Haggis traditionally stuffed into? Lisa? Yes. Bread. Haggis? Haggis. No. Oh no, that's the sandwich I'm thinking of.
SPEAKER_02There's your one guess.
SPEAKER_00What is haggis usually stuffed in? I think haggis comes from the UK, right? Scottish. Scott, yeah. Okay. It's yes.
SPEAKER_02Stomach?
SPEAKER_00Yes. Sheep's stomach. Haggis' mixture of meats, oats, and spices traditionally cooked inside the stomach lining.
SPEAKER_01Lucky guess. Well, it does sound not so fresh.
SPEAKER_00All right. The last of round two is what European country eats reindeer meat as part of its traditional cuisine. This should be easy. Megan. Yes. Norway. No. Lisa. Yes. Finland. Yes. Okay. I'm happy for you.
SPEAKER_01Thank you.
SPEAKER_00I'll take it. At the end of round two, we've got a three-way tie with four points each. People. Round three is short. Six short questions. Restaurant and dining culture. Okay. Okay. Entirely different. In what country is it considered rude to ask for substitutions at a restaurant? Lisa. Yes. France.
unknownNo.
SPEAKER_01Almost all of Europe. But that's not the answer. Yes. Italy? Yes. Well, I don't think a French chef will like give you a high five. Probably not.
SPEAKER_02Especially like a like a real fancy one.
SPEAKER_00All right. Where is tipping considered unnecessary or even confusing in restaurants? It's a trick question.
SPEAKER_01Again, most places in Europe. Yes, yes, ding, ding, ding. Oh. Most places in Europe. That's it.
SPEAKER_00Services included, tipping is minim tipping is minimal or unnecessary, and no one is tracking percentages. So don't let people tell you you have to tip in Europe. Just don't, don't, don't let them tell you. Don't be a sucker. What European country has fixed menu lunches that change daily and often include wine?
SPEAKER_02Dillon.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_02France. No.
SPEAKER_00Lisa. Yes. Italy. Yes. What? I feel like a lot of places do that though.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, don't suspicious. I can definitely name a few French restaurants that do that.
SPEAKER_01In your repertoire.
SPEAKER_00Okay, so that's called the Menu de Jour, is a weekday lunch deal with multiple courses and often wine designed for workers, not tourists. Well, show my show.
SPEAKER_01Well, and I will say that the name is French. Very French. So voilà. Bonjour madame.
SPEAKER_00What? In which country will you often be charged extra for bread you didn't ask for? Lisa. Yes. Dylan. Germany. No. Lisa, Italy. Yes.
SPEAKER_02Also definitely Germany.
SPEAKER_00I've never been charged for bread for it. You pay for everything in Germany.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00In Italy, it often it often appears anyway on your table and then it shows up on the bill as coperto.
SPEAKER_01Which is service too. It's like bread and service. And if you're in Tuscany, you should just pass that bread right out.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Where is dinner commonly eaten as later as 9 or 10 p.m.? Yes.
SPEAKER_03Spain.
SPEAKER_00Yes. Very good. Okay. Last question in restaurant and dining culture. In which country is it common to eat fries with peanut sauce? Dylan? Yes. The Netherlands. Yes. Come on, Dylan is killing everything. Well, he's just faster. I knew the last two.
SPEAKER_01I mean, they also seem a little obvious, so I was like, well, maybe there's some more. I keep thinking it's a trick question. Question.
SPEAKER_03You guys heard one trick question. You think it's all that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. All that in a bag of chips. I will say trick question from now on.
SPEAKER_03If it is true, but then it kind of gives it away then.
SPEAKER_00All right. So we're looking at five for Megan, seven for Lisa, and eight for Dylan right now. It's anybody's game. It's anybody's game. Round four, weird ingredients and unexpected origins. Oh goodness. That's quite a category. Five questions. I'll take that category for 500. What ingredient was originally used to make pasta black in squid ink pasta? Dylan. Yes.
SPEAKER_03Squid ink.
SPEAKER_00That's funny. The question says black in skid ink.
SPEAKER_01I didn't think it was why I also, yeah, I was like.
SPEAKER_03But was it squid ink?
SPEAKER_01It is squid ink. Sure, that's a point. That question makes sense. I think we scratched the bottom. We're scratching them off that one.
SPEAKER_00We're not doing that one. All right. Number two. Okay. What European dessert was originally invented as a way to use up stale bread? Don't. Dessert. Yes.
SPEAKER_03Pound cake?
SPEAKER_00No. Megan. Yes. Cookies. No. Lisa? Yes. Terramisu? No. Bread pudding. No. I don't even know what you like.
SPEAKER_01I didn't even know that was that checked out.
SPEAKER_00What country eats blood slashes as a traditional breakfast item? Lisa. Yes.
SPEAKER_01Ireland? And well, and the UK.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, the UK is what I have. Okay.
SPEAKER_01But I it was it's all on the menus in Ireland. I was gonna say it is also a big thing in Ireland, and they are a separate country, so I feel like as an Irish passport holder, I should also get a point.
SPEAKER_00Okay. What cheese is made using maggots as part of the fermentation process?
SPEAKER_03Dylan.
SPEAKER_00Yes. You don't know the name of the where is it from? Italy. Where in Italy? Lisa.
SPEAKER_02Sicily.
SPEAKER_00Lisa, Sardinia. It's called Casu Marzu. It's a Sardinian cheese fermented with live maggots. It's illegal to sell commercially, but still eaten traditionally. But they definitely still make it. Okay, so this is round five. This is our last official round before lightning round, which is no different than any other round. This is hard mode. This is for food nerds. I don't know if it is. Okay. What European country has the most Michelin-starred restaurants per capita?
SPEAKER_02Dillon. Yes. France.
SPEAKER_00No. Lisa. Yes. England. No. Megan, Spain.
SPEAKER_01No, Luxembourg. Yes. Luxembourg. Luxembourg.
SPEAKER_00I told you there's a food culture there. Tiny country, huge food scene. Yeah. When you calculate per capita, Luxembourg beats culinary giants. And we'll be there in a few short weeks. Wow. Probably not eating in any Michelin star restaurants, but we'll be there. But we will admire them from afar. What is the protected name for sparkling my wine made specifically in northeastern France?
SPEAKER_02Dylan.
SPEAKER_00I'm giving this to Megan. It's champagne. I get it. This is my point. Thank you so much. That is Megan's point. Let's take a cheers for that. Cheers. Cheers.
SPEAKER_01They are drinking a champagne for those of you at home.
SPEAKER_00Okay. What Italian food has EU protected status that regulates how and where it can be made? Dylan. Yes. Pasta? No. Lisa. Yes. Wine. No. Food.
SPEAKER_01Pork products.
SPEAKER_00No. Pizza Napolitana. The EU regulates the dough, the ingredients, the cooking method, and even the oven temperature. This question is a good one. What country invented the sandwich?
SPEAKER_03Dillon? Yes. The Netherlands.
SPEAKER_00No. Megan, Germany. No. Lisa. Yes. I'm going to go England. Okay, you're going to get the point. And I did a lot of this research. How do you define a sandwich? Yeah. Not a hot dog. Here's what I'm going to say. From the research I did on Reddit, the sandwich. The sandwich is named after the Earl of Sandwich who wanted food he could eat without moving the table.
SPEAKER_03There is no way.
SPEAKER_00Wait. The Earl of Witch? Sandwich.
SPEAKER_03Which Reddit was this from?
SPEAKER_01The Earl of Witch?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, the Earl of Sandwich. The Earl of Sandwich. His name is John Montagu. I just looked this up. He was a statesman and former first lord of the Admiralty of the United Kingdom. He was born in November 13th, Scorpio, 1718. And he died April 30th, 1792. He was and he created it because he wanted to be able to not leave the table.
SPEAKER_01And what's the case?
SPEAKER_00But the British are known for appropriating everybody else's food.
SPEAKER_01So I don't think Mr. Sandwich is the one who invented it.
SPEAKER_00But his name, oh, I guess, why was he the Earl of Sandwich? Oh, because he was the Earl from Sandwich Kent. So maybe paninis are different than sandwiches, but he because it was from Sandwich, he is credited with creating the sandwich.
SPEAKER_01Oh, he appropriated it and then named it after himself. You get the point, but I still I don't like it.
SPEAKER_00I don't agree. I don't agree with that.
SPEAKER_01You know, the point is all the matters.
SPEAKER_00So going into the bonus round, Dylan has eight points. Lisa has ten points. Because of your bonus points. Megan has eight points. And the boy took away. The lightning round is four questions, two points each. Two points each. Two points, yeah.
SPEAKER_01I like that. Really kicking it up, aren't you? Oh, because you you see prizes in your eyes, don't you?
SPEAKER_00They're all true and false. True or false. Ready? True or false. Ketchup was once sold as medicine in Europe.
SPEAKER_02True. Dylan.
SPEAKER_00Lisa, true.
SPEAKER_02I said Dylan first.
SPEAKER_00All right. That is correct, Dylan. I just read that the other day. True or false is difficult.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I just I literally just read that the other day. Did you see that on Instagram?
SPEAKER_00Yes. In the 1800s, ketchup was marked as a cure for indigestion.
SPEAKER_03Dylan's it.
SPEAKER_00The original pepped up its mouth. Yes.
SPEAKER_03I thought that was another question.
SPEAKER_00The same delicious flavor, too. Okay, true or false. The EU regulates the shape of bananas.
SPEAKER_02Dylan. Yes. False.
SPEAKER_00Lisa, that's true. True. I'm gonna give it to Megan. She didn't say her name first. The EU once regulated banana classifications for trade. It became an internet legend. Sort of. It's true, sort of. So she gets the points.
SPEAKER_03Sort of. So sort of true, but also sort of false.
SPEAKER_00Yes. So she sort of got two points.
SPEAKER_03So I sort of got one point.
SPEAKER_00Okay, like okay. True or false. Pasta was brought to Italy by Marco Polo. Lisa. Yes. False. Correct. Pasta existed in Italy long before Marco Polo. This is one of the most persistent food myths. True. Last question. Is anybody's game? Anybody? Well, it could be a tie, and then I'll have to come up with a tiebreaker. Well, the point is if Lisa gets this game over, winner! If either Megan or Dylan get it, then they're tied with Lisa and we go into a tiebreaker. Arm wrestle. No, we go into a tiebreaker. True or false? Some European cheeses are aged in caves.
SPEAKER_03Dylan. True.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
unknownAll right.
SPEAKER_00Sorry, Megan. 50-50. I mean, you still get a prize.
SPEAKER_03Sorry, Megan.
SPEAKER_01Rude. And you know somebody who does that, so it's not really interesting. I think we all knew that was true. Yeah. I think we need buzzers for quick next.
SPEAKER_03So you're trying to take away two points away from me now.
SPEAKER_01No, you can keep your points. I just think we should also get some. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03You can take some of Lisa's.
SPEAKER_01You're so generous. Can I just disrupt the tiebreaker now?
SPEAKER_00Yep.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, you can. You can come in for the win, actually.
SPEAKER_00Okay. The tiebreaker is going to be worth three points.
SPEAKER_03Oh, wow.
SPEAKER_00So this could put you up. I think it's sudden death, winner, take all.
SPEAKER_03Not true or false, though. I don't think that would be very anticlimatic for the tiebreaker.
SPEAKER_00It's gonna be it's gonna be things that you see in like Big Brother and Survivor. It's gonna be a physical challenge. It's gonna be a physical challenge. No, it's gonna be who gets the closest to the number. Oh.
SPEAKER_03Oh, okay. So sort of like uh Destination X.
SPEAKER_00Yes. Like all great trivia question shows like this one. All right. Okay. Ready? Yes. It's an Italian question, so I think we all have a better shot.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_00Or do you want to go Irish? No, no, it's okay. Well, it's anybody. How many official recognized pasta shapes are there in Italy? Okay. Lisa? 128. Megan? 30.
SPEAKER_0282.
SPEAKER_00Lisa's the winner with 350 shapes of pasta. Thank you. I think you've got to be able to do that. There's 30 in Torino alone. To be honest.
SPEAKER_01Can we just celebrate that I want?
SPEAKER_00So the winner is Lisa. And but everybody wins. I've ever thank you for joining us today. Thank you. I think next trivia in a few months, Megan will be the host. Oh. Okay. All right. And then I will be the host next. You're related. But being the host, you gotta come up with categories.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00Um I will say now I do accept bribes.
SPEAKER_01Well, thanks for listening.
SPEAKER_00Check out the website www.thetaways with a Z. And we'll see you next week.com. Dot com.com.
SPEAKER_01And we will see you next week.
SPEAKER_03And I'm Dylan.
SPEAKER_01And you lost. Thanks. Bye.
SPEAKER_03Bye.