What I learned from attending the Slow Food Trivia Night this weekend:

Pop culture sells better than slow culture. The event may raise money for “slow” foods, but the questions reflected fast foods. Topics included corporate jingles, corporate logos, and corporate cereals. Kraft and McDonald’s and Betty Crocker and KFC were well-represented.

Success at a trivia night depends on watching a lot of television as a child.

Success at a food trivia night depends on boning up on the interests of the question-writer: beer and St. Paul sandwiches.

Locovorism (but not necessarily slow) is alive and well: answers included Panera Bread, Lion’s Choice, and Pasta House.

One of the raffle prizes was a signed copy of Michael Pollan’s “In Defense of Food,” which encourages readers to eat fresh leaves, not processed food. Besides our arugula rolls and caprese skewers, no other leaves were in sight — but bagged chips and take-out prepared foods were well-represented at other tables. The slow food attendees do not eat the talk!

It does no good to argue with the judges, but it does make me feel superior (truffles are not a mushroom!).

Some people really have the touch, so assemble your team with care. (One person won three out the ten raffle prizes!)

Our favorite categories were, of course, the ones we knew: naming the dish from the list of ingredients. A clever question was Marvin Lee Aday is this comfort food (meat loaf).

And yes, Kitchen Conservatory even lost the table decoration prize. But we took solace in the homemade food we brought (as pictured): arugula-prosciutto rolls, chocolate-raspberry truffles, lemon mousse cups, crab salad with homemade puff pastry, antipasto skewers, chocolate chunk cookies, and croquembouche. Not pictured: short rib sliders, bacon-wrapped dates, mushroom-piquillo pepper puffs, green bean-cauliflower gratin, roasted vegetable sandwiches, and cheeses.

Bacon-Wrapped Dates

• 6 slices bacon, cut in half crosswise
• 6 medjool dates, cut in half and pitted
• 12 marcona almonds

Place the bacon on a sheet pan and bake at 350 until 3/4 cooked. Drain the grease. Stuff the dates with almonds and wrap in the bacon and secure with a toothpick. Bake until crisp, about five minutes. Serve warm.