Pop quiz

What’s the difference between cannelloni and cannellini?

Last night I had a fun discussion over some homemade hummus created by my friend Amy. (I know; she keeps popping up on here. Can’t help it. She is a super cook and a discriminating reader and I’ve been hanging out with her lately.) Hummus is amazing. Especially when homemade. Especially when served with toasted pita bread triangles for dipping. And coffee… ah. Coffee. Home-roasted to perfection. I never drink more than one cup, but I did last night…

What was I talking about?

Oh yes.

We had this discussion about how to pronounce an Italian word for a food item, and I came home and Googled it and found I was in error.

So I’m giving a pop quiz. Kudos to the first person who can tell me the meanings of all four words listed below–without looking them up, Googling them, appealing to hubby or teenage daughter, or cheating in any other form—on the honor system. (If you got an email on this topic today you’re out of the running. Sorry bout that.)

Kudos also for erroneous definitions that make me laugh!

  1. Cannelloni
  2. Cannellini
  3. Canola
  4. Cannoli

Extra credit if you can tell me what Canelli is, which is not quite a fair question.

Good grief. You would think Italians had nothing better to do than sit at home cooking great food and inventing impossible names for it.

Any takers?

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Amy Herr
10 years ago

Remember, I’m Italian. 🙂

Ruth Anna
10 years ago

I’d love to have the recipe for pita bread!

Lynnelle
10 years ago

Cannelloni–those white beans
Cannellini–some type of pasta?
Canola–you know, that common oil that’s much less better for you than olive
Cannoli–those to die for pastry tubes filled with Italian cream, or was that the cannellini? Now I’m all confused. Can’t wait to see the answers. Thanks for this fun quiz!

Marlene
10 years ago

Whew, I had them all mixed up and gibbered. (Yeah, I caved immediately and Googled. I’m not good at waiting.)

Here were my guesses: soup bean, dessert, oil, and I don’t know; coffee? Aren’t those the four best components of a meal? 🙂

Kathleen
10 years ago

Off the top of my head:
Cannelloni sounds like pasta
Cannellini (or is it cannelli?)–beans
Canola-oil
Cannoli-pastries filled with cannoli cream (thanks Cake Boss:))
Goodness, this is really messing with my mind! I’m going to dream about beans and cannoli cream yet…

Kim
10 years ago

Ok, so, I have to participate…..
Cannelloni-type of pasta
Cannellini-type of bean
Canola-oil
Cannoli-deep fried circular pastry filled w/cream.
Is there a prize for this? What did I win? Oooh, you’re giving a a lifetime of caramel frappe’s. Aww, you’re so sweet! ☺

10 years ago

I’m going to guess:
Cannelloni—some kind of tomato paste
Cannellini—some kind of pasta
Canola—oil
Cannoli—some kind of Italian bread
Weird guesses, I know. Just for fun!

10 years ago

Oh come now, come now. Such safe and potentially accurate answers! Let me try.

Cannelloni—An Italian fox of the species doggonnus inveritas.
Cannellini—A fork for the cheese course.
Canola—Some kinda gun probably.
Cannoli—A medieval hairstyle involving great swirling poofs, held in place with a great deal of cannelloni grease.

And I don’t know what Canelli is, but it sounds like a cross between a virtuous maiden and a slice of rich pie.

Kendra
10 years ago
Reply to  Shari

LOL! Definitely the pie!

Lynnelle
10 years ago
Reply to  Shari

We’re all guessing safe and potentially accurate because YOU said we would get KUDOS if we guessed them right! Bring on them KUDOS!

10 years ago

Ok, canola is easy(because we grow it here in Georgia. ) CANadian Oil Low Acid. A common cooking oil. Cannellini –well, I was going to say that it’s that corkscrew shaped pasta they serve at Olive Garden, but my helpful spell checker informed me immediately that it should be cannelloni. So…. Cannellini must not be a word. Cannoli. I have no clue. A famous Italian painter, musician, or….scientist???

10 years ago

The only thing I can see is Ken Cuccinelli. He’s a candidate for Virginia governor, and I would vote for him just because his name is fun to say.

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