INTERNATIONAL CUISINE

SUBMITTED BY MR. AKSHAY D.PEDNEKAR

DEPARTMENT OF HOSPTALITY & TOURISM STUDIES PADMASHREE DR. D.Y PATIL UNIVERSITY NAVI MUMBAI

INTERNATIONAL CUISINE
ARAB CUISINE FRENCH CUISINE ITALIAN CUISINE MEXICAN CUISINE PORTUGUESE CUISINE GREAT BRITAIN CUISINE SPANISH CUISINE GERMAN CUISINE CHINESE CUISINE SCANDINAVIA CUISINE

 MIDDLE EAST CUISINE

Arab cuisine

Arab cuisine

Arab cuisine is defined as the various regional cuisines spanning the Arab World from Morocco and Tunisia to Yemen and Somalia, and incorporating Levantine, Egyptian and others. It has also been influenced to a degree by the cuisines of Turkey, Afghanistan, Iran, India, the Berbers and other cultures of the peoples of the region before the cultural Arabization brought by genealogical Arabians during the Arabian Muslim conquests.

History
Originally, the Arabs of the Arabian Peninsula relied heavily on a diet of dates, wheat, barley, rice and meat, with little

variety, with a heavy emphasis on yogurt products, such as labneh (( )yoghurt without butterfat). As the indigenous Semitic people of the peninsula wandered, so did their tastes and favored ingredients. There is a strong emphasis on the following items in Arabian cuisine: 1. Meat: lamb and chicken are the most used, beef and camel are also used to a lesser degree, other poultry is used in some regions, and, in coastal areas, fish. Pork is completely prohibitedfor Muslim Arabs, it is both a cultural taboo as well as being prohibited under Islamic law; many Christian Arabs also avoid pork as they have never acquired a taste for it.[1] 2. Dairy products: dairy products are widely used, the most of which is yogurt and white cheese. However, butter and cream are also used extensively. 3. Herbs and spices: mint and thyme (often in a mix called za'atar) are widely and almost universally used; spices are used much less than the Indian cuisine but the amount and types generally varies from region to region. Some of the included herbs and spices are sesame, saffron, turmeric, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, and sumac. Spice mixtures include baharat. 4. Beverages: hot beverages are used more than cold, coffee being on the top of the list, mostly in the Gulf countries, although tea is also served in many Arab countries. In Egypt tea is the more important hot beverage than coffee for instance. 5. Grains: rice is the staple and is used for most dishes; wheat is the main source for bread, as well as bulgur and semolina, which are also used extensively. 6. Legumes: Lentils are widely used as well as fava beans and chick peas (garbanzo beans). 7. Vegetables and fruits: this cuisine also favors vegetables such as cucumbers, aubergine (eggplant), courgette (zucchini), okra and onions, and fruits (primarily citrus), are often used as seasonings for entrees. Olives are a large part of the cuisine as well in addition to dates, figs and pomegranate. 8. Nuts: almonds pine nuts, pistachios, and walnuts are often included.

Culture
Essential to any cooking in the Arabian Peninsula is the concept of hospitality. Meals are generally large family affairs, with much sharing and a great deal of warmth over the dinner table. Formal dinners and celebrations generally entail large quantities of lamb, and every occasion entails large quantities of Arabic coffee. In an average Arab Gulf state household, a visitor might expect a dinner consisting of a very large platter, shared commonly, with a vast mountain of rice, incorporating lamb or chicken, or both, as separate dishes, with various stewed vegetables, heavily spiced, sometimes with a tomato sauce. Most likely, there would be several other items on the side, less hearty. Tea would certainly accompany the meal, as it is almost constantly consumed. Coffee would be included as well.

Breakfast
Cafs often offer croissants for breakfast. Breakfast is often a quick meal consisting of bread and dairy products with tea and sometimes with jam. The most used is labneh and cream (kishta, made of cow's milk; or qaimar, made of domestic buffalo milk). Labneh is served with olives, dried mint and drizzled with olive oil. Pastries such as manaqeesh, sfiha, fatayer and kahi are sometimes eaten for breakfast. Flat bread with olive oil and za'tar is also popular.

Lunch
Lunch is considered the main meal of the day, traditionally eaten after the noon prayer. It is the meal where the family groups together and, when entertaining, it is the meal of choice to invite guests. Rarely do meals have different courses; however, salads and maza are served as side dishes to the main meal. The latter usually consists of a portion of meat, poultry or fish, a portion of rice, lentil, bread or bagel and a portion of cooked vegetables in addition to the fresh ones with the maza and salad. The vegetables and meat are usually cooked together in sauce (often tomato, although others are also popular) to make maraq, which is served on rice. Most households would add bread, whether other grains were available or not.

Dinner
Dinner is traditionally the lightest meal although in modern times and due to changing lifestyles dinner has become more important.

Ramadan meals
In addition to the two meals mentioned hereafter, during Ramadan sweets are consumed much more than usual. Sweets and fresh fruits are served between these two meals. Although most sweets are made all year round such as knafeh, baklawa and basbousa, some are made especially for Ramadan such as Qatayef.

Futuur
Futuur (also called iftar), or fast-breaking, is the meal taken at dusk when the fast is over. The meal consists of three courses: first, an odd number of dates based on Islamic tradition. Then soup would be served, the most popular is lentil soup, but a wide variety of soups such as chicken, freeka (a soup made from a form of whole wheat and chicken broth), potato, maash and others. The third course would be the main dish, usually eaten after an interval where Maghreb prayer is conducted. The main dish is mostly similar to what is usual for lunch, except that cold drinks are also served.

Suhur
Is the meal eaten just before dawn when fasting must begin.

Regional Arab cuisines

Persian Gulf
Originally, the Arabs of the Arabian Peninsula relied heavily on a diet of dates, wheat, barley, rice and meat, with little variety, with a heavy emphasis on yogurt products, such as leben (( )yoghurt without butterfat). As the indigenous Semitic people of the peninsula wandered, so did their tastes and favored ingredients.

The Levant
Levantine cuisine is the traditional cuisine of the Levant or Greater Syria area. Though now divided into Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Israel, the region was a more united entity historically, and shares most of the same culinary traditions. Although almost identical, there is some regional variation within the Levantine area. In general, Levantine foods have much in common with other eastern Mediterranean foods, such as Greek and Turkish cuisines

Maghreb
Spices are used extensively in western Arabs food. Contrary to the rest of the Arab world, the most common red meat is beef. However, lamb is still the meat of choice, only avoided due to its higher cost. Dairy products are used less than in other countries in the Arab world. Among the most famous Moroccan and Algerian dishes are couscous, pastilla (also spelled bsteeya or bastilla), tajine, tanjia and harira. Although the latter is a soup, it is considered as a dish in itself and is served alone or with dates, especially during the month of Ramadan.

Sudan
Shahan ful presented alongside olive oil, berbere, various vegetables, and a roll of bread. In comparison to its North African and Levantine neighbors, the cuisine of Sudan is generally characterized as being stingy on rice but generous on spices, Sudanese food is a fusion cuisine of Egyptian cuisine and Ethiopian cuisine, both of which are very popular in the Western world. Popular dishes include

Shahan ful, ful medames, hummus, and baklava. Generally, the cuisine of Sudan in the northern half of the country tends to be similar to the cuisine of Egypt.

French cuisine

French cuisine

French cuisine is a style of cooking originating from the nation of France. It evolved from centuries of social and political change. The Middle Ages brought Guillaume Tirel, better known as Taillevent. The era of the French revolution, however, saw a move toward fewer spices and more liberal usage of herbs and refined techniques, beginning with La Varenne and further developing with the famous chef of Napoleon and other dignitaries, Marie-Antoine Carme. French cuisine was codified in the 20th century by Georges Auguste Escoffier to become the modern version of haute cuisine. Escoffier's major work, however, left out much of the regional character to be found in the provinces of France. Gastro-tourism and the Guide Michelin helped to bring people to the countryside during the 20th century and beyond, to sample this rich bourgeois and peasant cuisine of France. Gascon cuisine has also been a great influence over the cuisine in the southwest of France.

National cuisine
French cuisine has evolved extensively over the centuries. Starting in the Middle Ages, a unique and creative national cuisine began forming. Various social movements, political movements, and the work of great chefs came together to create this movement. Through the years the styles of French cuisine have been given different names, and have been modified by various master-chefs. During their lifetimes these chefs have been held in high regard for their contributions to the culture of the country. The national cuisine developed primarily in the city of Paris with the chefs to French royalty, but eventually it spread throughout the country and was even exported overseas.

Common dishes found on a national level

There are many dishes that are considered part of the nation's national cuisine today. Many come from haute cuisine in the fine-dining realm, but others are regional dishes that have become a norm across the country. Below are lists of a few of the more common dishes available in France on a national level.

Common Common Common Common

breads found on a national level savory dishes found on a national level desserts and pastries found on a national level canned food found on the national level

Regional cuisine
The 22 regions and 96 departments of metropolitan France include Corsica (Corse, lower right).French regional cuisine is characterized by its extreme diversity and style. Traditionally, each region of France has its own distinctive cuisine accepted by both its bourgeoisie and peasants and other general citizenry of the regions.

Paris Ile-de-France
Paris and Ile-de-France are central regions where almost anything from the country is available as all train lines meet in

the city. Over 9,000 restaurants exist in Paris and almost any cuisine can be had here. High-quality Michelin Guide rated restaurants proliferate here.

Champagne Lorraine Alsace

Game and ham are popular in Champagne as well as the special sparkling wine simply known as Champagne. Fine fruit preserves are known from Lorraine as well as the famous Quiche Lorraine. Alsace is heavily influenced by the German food culture as such the wines and beers made in the area are similar to the style of bordering Germany.

Nord--Pas-de-Calais Picardy Normandy Brittany

The coastline supplies many crustaceans, sea bass, monkfish, herring. Normandy has top quality seafood like scallops and sole, while Brittany has a supply of lobster, crayfish and mussels. Normandy is home to a large population of apple trees, which is used in dishes as well as cider and calvados (spirits). The northern areas of this region especially Nord, grow ample amounts of wheat, sugar beet and chicory. Thick stews are found often in these northern areas as well. The produce of these northern regions is also considered some of the best in the country including cauliflower and artichokes. Buckwheat grows widely in Brittany as well and is used in the region's galettes called jalet, which is where this dish originated.

Burgundy Franche-Comt
Burgundy is known for its wines. Pike, perch, river crabs, snails, poultry from Bresse, Charolais beef or game, redcurrants, blackcurrants, honey cake, Chaource and Epoisses cheese are all specialties of the local cuisine of both Burgundy and Franche-Comt. Kir and Crme de Cassis are popular liquors made from the blackcurrants. Dijon mustard is also a specialty of Burgundy cuisine. Oils are used in the cooking here, types include nut oils and rapeseed oil. Smoked meat and specialties are produced in the Jura

Bordeaux Perigord Gascony Basque Country

Bordeaux is known for its wine, as it is throughout the southwest of France with certain areas offering specialty

grapes for its wines. Fishing is popular in the region for the cuisine, sea fishing in the Bay of Biscay, trapping in the Garonne and stream fishing in the Pyrenees. The Pyrenees also support top quality lamb such as the "Agneau de Pauillac" as well as high quality sheep cheeses. Beef cattle in the region include the Blonde d'Aquitaine, Boeuf de Chalosse, Boeuf Gras de Bazas, and Garonnaise. High quality free-range chickens, turkey, pigeon, capon, goose and duck prevail in the region as well. Gascony and Perigord cuisines includes high quality pats, terrines, confits and magrets. This is one of the regions famous for its production of foie gras or fattened goose or duck liver. The cuisine of the region is often heavy and farm based. Armagnac is also from this region as are high quality prunes from Agen.

Corsica
Goats and sheep proliferate on the island of Corsica, and kids and lamb are used to prepare dishes such as "stufato", ragouts and roasts. Cheeses are also produced, with "brocciu" being the most popular. Chestnuts, growing in the Castagniccia forest, are used to produce flour, which is used in turn to make bread, cakes and polenta. The forest provides acorns used to feed the pigs and boars that provide much of the protein for the island's cuisine. Fresh fish and seafood are common. The island's pork is used to make fine hams, sausage and other unique items including coppa (dried rib cut), lonzu (dried pork fillet), figatella, salumu (a dried sausage) salcietta, Panzetta, bacon, figarettu (smoked and dried liverwurst) and prisuttu (farmer's ham). Clementines (which hold an AOC designation), lemons, nectarines and figs are grown there. Candied citron is used in nougats and cakes, while and the aforementioned brocciu and chestnuts are also used in desserts. Corsica offers a variety of wines and fruit liqueurs, including Cap Corse, Patrimonio, Cdratine, Bonapartine, liqueur de myrte, vins de fruit, Rappu, and eau-de-vie de chtaigne.

Specialties by season
French cuisine varies according to the season. In summer, salads and fruit dishes are popular because they are refreshing and produce is inexpensive and abundant. Greengrocers prefer to sell their fruit and vegetables at lower prices if needed, rather than see them rot in the heat. At the end of summer, mushrooms become plentiful and appear in stews throughout France. The hunting season begins in September and runs through February. Game of all kinds is eaten, often in elaborate dishes that celebrate the success of the hunt. Shellfish are at their peak when winter turns to spring, and oysters appear in restaurants in large quantities. With the advent of deep-freeze and the air-conditioned hypermarch, these seasonal variations are less marked than hitherto, but they are still observed, in some cases due to legal restrictions. Crayfish, for example, have a short season and it is illegal to catch them out of season.[35] Moreover, they do not freeze well.

Structure of meals
Breakfast
Le petit djeuner (breakfast) is often a quick meal consisting of "tartines" (slices) of french bread with jelly, croissants or pain au chocolat (a pastry filled with chocolate) along with coffee or tea. Children often drink hot chocolate in bowls along with their breakfast. Breakfast of some kind is always served in cafs opening early in the day.

Lunch
Le djeuner (lunch) was once a two hour mid-day meal but has recently seen a trend toward the one hour lunch break. In some smaller towns the two hour lunch may still be customary. Sunday lunches are often longer and are taken with the family. [36] Restaurants normally open for lunch at 12:00 noon and close at 2:30 pm. Many restaurants close on Saturday and Monday during lunch.[37] In large cities a majority of working people and students eat their lunch at a corporate or school cafeteria, which normally serve complete meals as described above; it is therefore not

usual for students to bring their own lunch food. It is common for white-collar workers to be given lunch vouchers as part of their employee benefits. These can be used in most restaurants, supermarkets and traiteurs; however workers having lunch in this way typically do not eat all three dishes of a traditional lunch due to price and time considerations. In smaller cities and towns, some working people leave their workplaces to return home for lunch, generating four rush hours during the day. Finally, an also popular alternative especially among blue-collar workers is to lunch on a sandwich possibly followed with a dessert; both dishes can be found ready-made at bakeries and supermarkets for budget prices.

Dinner
Le dner (dinner) often consists of three courses, hors d'oeuvre or entre (introductory course often soup), plat principal (main course), and a cheese course or dessert, sometimes with a salad offered before the cheese or dessert. Yoghurt may replace the cheese course, while a normal everyday dessert would be fresh fruit. The meal is often accompanied by bread, wine and mineral water. Wine consumption has been dropping recently amongst young people. Fruit juice consumption has risen from 25.6% in 1996 to 31.6% in 2002. Main meat courses are often served with vegetables along with rice or pasta.[36] Restaurants often open at 7:30pm for dinner and stop taking orders between the hours of 10:00pm and 11:00 pm. Many restaurants close for dinner on Sundays.[37]

Beverages
Traditionally, France has been a culture of wine consumption. This characteristic has lessened with time. The consumption of low-quality wines during meals has been greatly reduced. Since the 1960s per capita wine consumption has dropped by 50 per cent and continues to decline. [38]Beer is especially popular with the young. Other popular alcoholic drinks include pastis, an aniseed flavored beverage drink diluted with cold water, or cider. The legal alcohol purchase age is 18 (previously 16, the age was raised by health minister Roselyne Bachelot in March 2009). Usually, parents tend to prohibit their children from consuming alcohol before these children reach their early teens. Students and young adults are known to drink heavily during parties, but usually drunkenness is not displayed in

public. Public consumption of alcohol is legal, but driving under the influence can result in severe penalties

Kitchen and dining room staff

Larger restaurants and hotels in France employ extensive staff and are commonly referred to as either the kitchen brigade for the kitchen staff or dining room brigade system for the dining room staff. This system was created by Georges Auguste Escoffier. This structured team system delegates responsibilities to different individuals that specialize in certain tasks. The following is a list of positions held both in the kitchen and dining rooms brigades in France.[46] Cooks at work.

Chef de cuisine (Kitchen chef) - Responsible for overall management of kitchen. They supervise staff, create menus and new recipes with the assistance of the restaurant manager, make purchases of raw food items, trains apprentices and maintains a sanitary and hygienic environment for the preparation of food.[46] Sous-chef de cuisine (Deputy kitchen chef) - Receives orders directly from the chef de cuisine for the management of the kitchen and often represents the chef de cuisine when he or she is not present.[46] Chef de partie (Senior chef) - Responsible for managing a given station in the kitchen where they specialize in preparing particular dishes. Those that work in a lesser station are referred to as a demi-chef.[46] Cuisinier (Cook) - This position is an independent one where they usually prepare specific dishes in a station. They may be referred to as a cuisinier de partie.[46] Commis (Junior cook) - Also works in a specific station, but reports directly to the chef de partie and takes care of the tools for the station.[46] Apprenti(e) (Apprentice) - Many times they are students gaining theoretical and practical training in school and work experience in the kitchen. They perform preparatory work and/or cleaning work.[46] Plongeur (Dishwasher) - Cleans dishes and utensils and may be entrusted with basic preparatory job.[46] Marmiton (Pot and pan washer) - In larger restaurants takes care of all the pots and pans instead of the plongeur.[47]

Saucier (Saucemaker/Saut cook) - Prepares sauces, warm hors d'oeuvres, completes meat dishes and in smaller restaurants may work on fish dishes and prepares sauted items. This is one of the most respected positions in the kitchen brigade.[46] Rtisseur (Roast cook) - Manages a team of cooks that roasts, broils and deep fries dishes.[46] Grillardin (Grill cook) - In a larger kitchen this person prepares the grilled foods instead of the rtisseur.[48] Friturier (Fry cook) - In larger kitchens this person prepares fried foods instead of the rtisseur.[48] Poissonnier (Fish cook) - Prepares fish and seafood dishes.[47] Entremetier (Entre preparer) - Prepares soups and other dishes not involving meat or fish, including vegetable dishes and egg dishes.[46] Potager (soup cook) - In larger kitchens this person reports to the entremetier and prepares the soups.[48] Legumier (Vegetable cook) - In larger kitchen this person also reports to the entremetier and prepares the vegetable dishes.[48] Garde manger (Pantry supervisor) - responsible for preparation of cold hors d'oeuvres, prepares salads, organizes large buffet displays and prepares charcuterie items.[46] Tournant (Spare hand/ roundsman) - Moves throughout kitchen assisting other positions in kitchen Ptissier (Pastry cook) - Prepares desserts and other meal end sweets and for location without a boulanger also prepares breads and other baked items. They may also prepare pasta for the restaurant.[47] Confiseur - Prepares candies and petit fours in larger restaurants instead of the ptissier.[48] Glacier - Prepares frozen and cold desserts in larger restaurants instead of the ptissier.[48] Dcorateur - Prepares show pieces and specialty cakes in larger restaurants instead of the ptissier.[48] Boulanger (Baker) - Prepares bread, cakes and breakfast pastries in larger restaurants instead of the ptissier.[47] Boucher (Butcher) - butchers meats, poultry and sometimes fish. May also be in charge of breading meat and fish items.[48] Aboyeur (Announcer/ expediter) - Takes orders from dining room and distributes them to the various stations. This position may also be performed by the sous-chef de partie.[48]

Communard - Prepares the meal served to the restaurant staff.[48] Garon de cuisine - Performs preparatory and auxiliary work for support in larger restaurants.[47]

Dining room brigade

Directeur de la restauration (General manager) Oversees economic and administrative duties for all food related business in large hotels or similar facilities including multiple restaurants, bars, catering and other events.[49] Directeur de restaurant (Restaurant manager) Responsible for the operation of the restaurant dining room which includes managing staff, hiring and firing staff, training of staff and economic duties of the such matters. In larger establishments there may be an assistant to this position who would replace this person in their absence.[49] Matre d'hotel - Welcomes guests, and seats them at tables. They also supervise the service staff. It is this person that commonly deals with complaints and verifies patron bills.[49] Chef de salle - Commonly in charge of service for the full dining room in larger establishments; this position can be combined into the matre d'hotel position.[48] Chef de rang - The dining room is separated into sections called rangs. Each rang is supervised by this person to coordinate service with the kitchen.[49] Demi-chef de rang or commis de rang - (Back waiter) Clears plates between courses if there is no commis dbarrasseur, fills water glasses and assists the chef de rang.[48] Commis dbarrasseur - Clears plates between courses and the table at the end of the meal.[49] Commis de suite - In larger establishments, this person brings the different courses from the kitchen to the table.
[49]

Chef d'tage (Captain) - Explains the menu to the guest and answers any questions. This person often performs the tableside food preparations. This position may be combined with the chef de rang in smaller establishment.
[48]

Chef de vin or Sommelier (Wine waiter) - Manages wine cellar by purchasing and organizing as well as preparing the wine list. This person also advises the guest on wine

choices and serves it. Larger establishments will have a team of sommeliers that are managed by the chef sommelier or chef caviste.[49] Serveur de restaurant (Waiter) - This position found in smaller establishments performs the multiple duties of various positions in the larger restaurants in the service of food and drink to the guest.[49]

Italian cuisine

Italian cuisine

Italian cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political changes, with roots as far back as the 4th century BCE. Significant changes occurred with the discovery of the New World with the introduction of items such as potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers and maize, now central to the cuisine but not introduced in quantity until the 18th century.[1] Ingredients and dishes vary by region. Many dishes that were once regional, however, have proliferated with variations across the country. Cheese and wine are a major part of the cuisine, with many variations and Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) (regulated appellation) laws. Coffee, specifically espresso, has become important in Italian cuisine.

History
Italian cuisine has evolved over the centuries. Although the country known as Italy did not unite until the 19th century, the cuisine can claim traceable roots as far back as the 4th century BCE. Through the centuries, neighboring regions, conquerors, high-profile chefs, political upheaval and the discovery of the New World have influenced one of the premiere cuisines in the world.

Regional cuisines

The 20 Regioni of Italy Each area has its own specialties, primarily at regional level, but also at provincial level. The differences can come from a bordering country (such as France or Austria), whether a region is close to the sea or the mountains, and economics. Italian cuisine is also seasonal with priority placed on the use of fresh produce.

Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Friuli-Venezia Giulia shares traditions with the former Yugoslavia. San Daniele del Friuli hams come from here. Carnia in the northern region is known for bacon and Montasio cheese. Collio, Grave del Friuli, and Colli Orientali are regional wines. The dishes are influenced by Austrian, Hungarian, Slovene and Croatian dishes. Beer halls feature Viennese sausage, goulash and Bohemian hare. Many desserts, such as strudels, are flour based. Polenta is a staple and finds its way into stirred dishes and baked dishes and can be served with

sausage, cheese, fish or meat. Pork can be spicy and is often prepared over an open hearth called a fogolar.[19]

Trentino-Alto Adige/Sdtirol
Before the Council of Trent in the middle of the 16th century, Trentino-Alto Adige/Sdtirol was known for the simplicity of its cuisine. When the prelates of the Catholic Church came, they brought the art of fine cooking with them. Fresh water fish is a specialty. Later, influences from Venice and the Habsburg Empire came in. In the Alto Adige Alpine, Slavic, Austrian, and Hungarian influences prevail. Goulash is a regular dish, along with potatoes, dumplings and homemade sauerkraut (called crauti). Lard is popular, along with pasta, tomatoes and olive oil.[22]

Lombardy
Rice is popular in Lombardy, often found in soups as well as risotto. Regional cheeses include robiola, crescenza, taleggio, gorgonzola and grana padano (the plains of central and southern Lombardy allow intensive cattle-raising). Butter and cream are used. Single pot dishes, which take less work to prepare, are popular. In Bergamo, Brescia, and Valtellina, polenta is common. In Mantua festivals feature tortelli di zucca (ravioli with pumpkin filling) accompanied by melted butter and followed by turkey stuffed with chicken or other stewed meats.[23]

Piedmont
Piedmont is a region where gathering nuts, fungi, cardoons and hunting and fishing takes place. Truffles, garlic, seasonal vegetables, cheese and rice are all used. Wines from the Nebbiolo grape such as Barolo and Barbaresco are produced as well as wines from the Barbera grape, fine sparkling wines, and the sweet, lightly sparkling, Moscato d'Asti. Castelmagno is a prized cheese of the region. Filetto Baciato is a style of prosciutto made from pork fillet or other lean portion of pork marinated in white wine, coated with salami paste and stuffed into a casing to age for six months.[25]

Liguria
In Liguria, herbs and vegetables as well as seafood find their way into the cuisine. Savory pies and cakes are popular. Onions and olive oil are used. Because of a lack of land suitable for wheat, the Ligurians use chick-peas in farinata and polenta-like panissa. This is served plain or topped with onions, artichokes, sausage, cheese or young anchovies. Hilly districts use chestnuts as a source of carbohydrates. Ligurian pastas include corzetti from the Polcevera valley, pansoti, a triangular shaped ravioli filled with vegetables, piccagge, pasta ribbons made with a small amount of egg and served with artichoke sauce or pesto, trenette, made from whole wheat flour cut into long strips and served with pesto, boiled beans and potatoes, and trofie, a Ligurian gnocchi made from whole grain flour or white wheat flour, made into a spiral shape and cooked with beans and potatoes and often tossed in pesto.[26] Many Ligurians emigrated to Argentina in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; thus, Argentinian style Asado a la cruz can be found during summer.

Marche
On the coast of Marche, fish and seafood are produced. Inland, wild and domestic pigs are used for sausages and hams. These hams are not thinly sliced, but cut into bite-sized chunks. Suckling pig, chicken and fish are often stuffed before being roasted or placed on the spit.

Meal structure
Traditionally, meals in Italy usually contain 3 or 4 courses. Meals are seen as a time to spend with family and friends instead of immediate sustenance; thus, daily meals can be longer than in other cultures. During holidays, family feasts can last for hours. Today, the traditional Italian menu is kept mainly for special events (such as weddings) while an everyday menu includes only the first and second course, the side dish and coffee. A notable aspect of Italian meals is that the primo or first course, is usually a more filling dish such as risotto or pasta. Modern Italian cuisine also includes single courses (all-in-one courses), providing carbohydrates and proteins at the same time (e.g. pasta and legumes).

Aperitivo apritif usually enjoyed as an appetizer before a large meal, may be Campari, Cinzano, Prosecco, Aperol, Spritz or Vermouth. Antipasto literally "before (the) meal", hot or cold appetizers Primo "first course", usually consists of a hot dish like pasta, risotto, gnocchi, polenta or soup. Secondo "second course", the main dish, usually fish or meat. Traditionally veal, pork and chicken are most commonly used, at least in the North, though beef has become more popular since World War II and wild game is found, particularly in Tuscany. Fish are generally caught locally. Contorno "side dish", may be a salad or cooked vegetables. A traditional menu features salad along with the main course. Formaggio e frutta "cheese and fruits", the first dessert. Local cheeses may be part of the Antipasto or Contorno as well. Dolce "sweet", such as cakes and cookies Caff coffee Digestivo "digestives", liquors/liqueurs (grappa, amaro, limoncello,sambuca, nocino, sometimes referred to as ammazzacaff ("coffee killer")

Coffee
Italian style coffee (caff), also known as espresso is made from a blend of coffee beans, often from Brazil. Espresso beans are roasted medium to medium dark in the north, and gets darker moving south. A common misconception is that espresso has more caffeine than other coffee but the opposite is true. The longer roasting period extracts more caffeine. The modern espresso machine, invented in 1937 by Achille Gaggia, uses a pump and pressure system with water heated up to 90-95C (194-203F) and forced with high pressure through a few grams of finely ground coffee in 25-30 seconds, resulting in about 25 milliliters (two tablespoons) of liquid.[52]

Home espresso makers are simpler but work under the same principle. La Napoletana is a four part stove-top unit with grounds loosely placed inside a filter, the kettle portion is filled with water and once boiling, the unit is inverted to drip through the grounds. The Moka per il caff is a three part stove-top unit that is placed on the stove-top with loosely packed grounds in a strainer, the water rises from steam pressure, and is forced through the grounds into the top portion. It is unlike a percolator in that the brewed coffee is not re-circulated.[53] Expresso is usually served in a demitasse cup. Caff macchiato is topped with a bit of steamed milk or foam; ristretto is made with less water, and is stronger; cappuccino is mixed or topped with steamed, mostly frothy, milk. It is generally considered a morning beverage; caffelatte is equal parts espresso and steamed milk, similar to caf au lait, and is typically served in a large cup. Latte macchiato (spotted milk) is a glass of warm milk with a bit of coffee.

Wine
Italy produces the largest amount of wine in the world and is both the largest exporter and consumer of wine. Only about a quarter of this wine is put into bottles for individual sale. Twothirds is bulk wine used for blending in France and Germany. The wine distilled into spirits in Italy exceeds the production of wine in the entirety of the New World. [54]. There are twenty separate wine regions.[55] Those vineyards producing great wines are trying to do away with the old image of jug wines so often associated with Italian wine. To promote this, the Italian government passed the Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) law in 1963 to regulate place of origin, quality, production method and type of grape. The designation Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) is a less restrictive designation to help a wine maker graduate to the DOC level. In 1980, the government created the Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita (DOCG), reserved for only the best wines.[56]

Mexican cuisine

Mexican cuisine

Mexican cuisine is a style of food that originates in Mexico. Mexican cuisine is known for its varied flavors, colorful decoration, and variety of spices and ingredients, many of which are native to the country.

Elements
Chiles en nogada The staples of Mexican cuisine are typically corn and beans. Corn, traditionally Mexico's staple grain, is eaten fresh, on the cob, and as a component of a number of dishes. Most corn, however, is used to make masa, a dough for tamales, tortillas, gorditas, and many other corn-based foods. Squash and peppers also play important roles in Mexican cuisine. The most important and frequently used spices in Mexican cuisine are chile powder, cumin, oregano, cilantro, epazote, cinnamon, and cocoa. Chipotle, a smoke-dried jalapeo chili, is also common in Mexican cuisine. Many Mexican dishes also contain garlic and onions. Next to corn, rice is the most common grain in Mexican cuisine. According to food writer Karen Hursh Graber, the initial introduction of rice to Spain from North Africa in the 4th Century led to the Spanish introduction of rice into Mexico at the port of Veracruz in the 1520s. This, Graber says, created one of the earliest instances of the world's greatest fusion cuisines.[1]

History
When Spanish conquistadores arrived in the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City), they found that the people's diet consisted largely of corn-based dishes with chiles and herbs, usually complemented with beans and tomatoes or nopales.[2] The diet of the indigenous peoples of Pre-Columbian Mexico also included chocolate, tomatillos, huitlacoche, vanilla, avocado, guava, papaya, sapote, mamey, pineapple, soursop, jicama, squash, sweet potato, peanuts, achiote, turkey and fish. In the 1520s, while Spanish conquistadors were invading Mexico, they introduced a variety of animals, including cattle, chickens, goats, sheep, and pigs. Rice, wheat, and barley were also introduced as were olive oil, almonds, wine, parsley, and many spices. The imported Spanish cuisine was eventually incorporated into the indigenous cuisine.

Regional cuisine
Mexican food varies by region, because of local climate and geography and ethnic differences among the indigenous inhabitants and because these different populations were influenced by the Spaniards in varying degrees. The north of Mexico is known for its beef, goat and ostrich production and meat dishes, in particular the well-known Arrachera cut. The six regions of Mexico differ greatly in their cuisines. In the Yucatan, for instance, a unique, natural sweetness (instead of spiciness) exists in the widely used local produce along with an unusual love for achiote seasoning. In contrast, the Oaxacan region is known for its savory tamales and celebratory moles, while the mountainous regions of the West (Jalisco, etc) are known for goat birria (goat in a spicy tomato-based sauce). Central Mexico's cuisine is largely influenced by the rest of the country, but has unique dishes such as barbacoa, pozole, menudo and carnitas. Southeastern Mexico, on the other hand, is known for its spicy vegetable and chicken-based dishes. The cuisine of Southeastern Mexico has a considerable Caribbean influence due to its location. Seafood is commonly prepared in states that border the Pacific Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico, the latter having a famous reputation for its fish dishes, a la veracruzana.

In the Yucatn, the Mayan people have practiced beekeeping for thousands of years. Honey is an important ingredient in many Mexican dishes, such as the rosca de miel, a bundt-like cake, and in beverages such as balch. In Pueblos or villages, there are also more exotic dishes, cooked in the Aztec or Mayan style (known as comida prehispnica) with ingredients ranging from iguana to rattlesnake, deer, spider monkey, grasshoppers, ant eggs, and other kinds of insects. Recently other cuisines of the world have acquired popularity in Mexico, thus adopting a Mexican fusion. For example, sushi in Mexico is often made with a variety of sauces based on mango or tamarind, and very often served with serrano-chiliblended soy sauce, or complimented with habanero and chipotle peppers.

Mexican cuisine outside of Mexico

Nachos are most popular outside of Mexico. Mexican food is widely available north of the U.S.-Mexico border. Cultural influences left from Spanish colonization of the Southwest and California remain not only in the names of places but also in the ingredients in cooking; these influences are strongly reinforced today by their proximity to northern Mexican states like Sonora, Baja California, and Chihuahuha. Prickly pears are as popular a food North of the border as they are South (often made into jams.) Ingredients common to both sides include chili peppers (the genus 'capsicum' reaches its Northern limit in Nevada[citation needed],) maize, beans, tomatoes, tortillas, tequila, and beef (both areas have a strong tradition of cattle ranching.) However, there is definite Americanization and hybridization the farther one is away from Mexico, resulting in Tex-Mex cuisine. Nachos for example are rarely eaten in Mexico, whereas they are wildly popular in the rest of North America.

The Chimichanga, a deep-fried burrito with origins in Arizona, is a Mexican-inspired dish popular in the United States and in other countries outside of Mexico. In some regions of Mexico, it is very unusual to put cheese in tacos or tostadas (unless it is the typically Mexican panela cheese). However, in southern Mexico, it is common to use cheese in both tacos and tostadas and in other Mexican dishes such as picadas and enchiladas. While Mexican restaurants can be found in almost any town throughout North America, and in many cities around the world, restaurants outside the American Southwest often feature nontraditional ingredients, such as grated Americanstyle cheese, "nacho" cheese or tomato-based sauce substitutes for Mexican chile-based sauces or mole. States bordering Mexico (Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California), and states such as Colorado and Utah have large expatriate Mexican populations, which in effect has produced a variety of authentic Mexican restaurants. In other areas of the United States and Canada, Mexican dishes and restaurants vary as much as Chinese restaurants and dishes do between China and many locations in the western Hemisphere.

Portuguese cuisine

Portuguese cuisine

Portuguese cuisine is characterised by rich, filling and fullflavored dishes and is closely related to Mediterranean cuisine. The influence of Portugal's former colonial possessions is also noted, especially in the wide variety of spices used. These spices include piri piri (small, fiery chili peppers) and black pepper, as well as cinnamon, vanilla and saffron. Olive oil is one of the bases of Portuguese cuisine both for cooking and flavouring meals. Garlic is widely used, as are herbs such as coriander and parsley. Breakfast is traditionally just coffee and a bread roll. Lunch, often lasting over an hour is served between noon and 2 o'clock or between 1 and 3 o'clock, and dinner is generally served late, around or after 8 o'clock. There are three main courses, lunch and dinner usually include soup. A common soup is caldo verde with potato, shredded cabbage, and chunks of chourio sausage. Among fish recipes, bacalhau (cod) dishes are pervasive. The most typical desserts are rice pudding (decorated with cinnamon) and caramel custard, but they also often include a variety of cheeses. The most common varieties are made from sheep or goat's milk, and include the queijo da serra from the region of Serra da Estrela. Many of the country's typical pastries were created by nuns in the 18th century, which they sold as a means of supplementing their incomes. Many of their creations, often with a high content of eggs and sugar in the composition, have related names like

barriga de freira (nun's belly), papos de anjo (angel's chests), and toucinho do cu (bacon from heaven). A popular pastry is the pastel de nata, a small custard tart sprinkled with cinnamon.

Breakfast
Portuguese breakfasts often consist of fresh bread, with butter, cheese or fruit preserves accompanied with strong coffee or milk. Sweet pastries are also very popular, as well as breakfast cereals eaten cold and mixed with milk or yogurt and fruit.

Fish and seafood

Bacalhau minhota (one of the Portuguese bacalhau dishes) Portugal is a seafaring nation with a well-developed fishing industry and this is reflected in the amount of fish and seafood eaten. The country has Europe's highest fish consumption per capita and is among the top four in the world for this indicator. [1] Fish is served grilled, boiled (including poached and simmered), fried or deep-fried, stewed (often in clay pot cooking) or even roasted. Foremost amongst these is bacalhau (cod), which is the type of fish most consumed in Portugal. It is said that there are more than 365 ways to cook cod, one for every day of the year. Cod is almost always used dried and salted because the Portuguese fishing tradition in the North Atlantic developed before the invention of refrigeration therefore it needs to be soaked in water or sometimes milk before cooking. The simpler fish dishes are often flavoured with virgin olive oil and white wine vinegar. Portugal has been fishing and trading cod since the 15th century and this cod trade has almost epic contours. Also popular are fresh sardines (especially when grilled as sardinhas assadas), octopus, squid, cuttlefish, crabs, shrimp and prawns, lobster, spiny lobster, and many other crustaceans such as barnacles and goose barnacles, hake, horse mackerel (scad), lamprey, sea bass, scabbard (especially in Madeira) and a great variety of other fish and shellfish and molluscs, such as clams, mussels, oysters, periwinkles, and scallops. Caldeirada is a stew consisting of a variety of fish and shellfish with potatoes, tomato and onion. Amijoas Bulho Pato Portuguese clam dish

Sardines used to be preserved in brine for sale in rural areas. Later, sardine canneries developed all along the Portuguese coast. Ray fish is dried in the sun in Northern Portugal. Canned tuna is widely available in Continental Portugal. Tuna used to be plentiful in the waters of the Algarve. They were trapped in fixed nets when they passed the Portuguese southern coast to spawn in the Mediterranean, and again when they returned to the Atlantic. Portuguese writer Raul Brando, in his book Os Pescadores has an almost epic description of the catch, as he tells how the tuna is hooked from the raised net into the boats, and how the fishermen would amuse themselves riding the larger fish around the net. Fresh tuna, however, is usually eaten in Madeira and the Algarve, where tuna steaks are an important item in local cuisine. Canned sardines or tuna, served with boiled potatoes and eggs, constitute a convenient meal when there is not time to prepare anything more elaborate.

Meat and Poultry "Cozido portuguesa" (Portuguese stew) Eating meat and poultry on a daily basis was historically a privilege of the upper classes. Meat was a staple at a nobleman's table during the Middle Ages. A Portuguese Renaissance chronicler, Garcia de Resende, describes how an entre at a royal banquet was composed of a whole roasted ox garnished with a circle of chickens. A common Portuguese dish, mainly eaten in winter, is the cozido portuguesa, which somewhat parallels the French pot au feu, the Spanish cocido, the New England boiled dinner or the Costa Rican casado. Its composition depends on the cook's imagination and budget. A really lavish cozido may take beef, pork, salt pork, several types of enchidos (such as cured chourio, morcela and chourio de sangue, linguia, farinheira, etc.), pig's feet, cured ham, potatoes, carrots, turnips, chickpeas, cabbage and rice. This would be originally a favourite food of the affluent farmer, which later reached the tables of the urban bourgeoisie and typical restaurants.

Cheese
There is a wide variety of Portuguese cheeses, especially made from goat's or sheep's milk, or both together. Usually these

are very strong-flavoured and fragrant. In the Azores, there is a type of cheese made with cow's milk with a spicy taste (Queijo de So Jorge). Traditional Portuguese cuisine does not include cheese in its recipes, so it's eaten by itself before or after the main dishes. Other well known cheeses like Queijo de Azeito, Queijo de Castelo Branco and Queijo da Serra da Estrela (D.O.P.) which is very strong in flavour, can be eaten soft or more matured. Serra da Estrela is handmade from fresh sheep milk and thistle-derived rennet.

Vegetables
Caldo verde Vegetables that are popular in Portuguese cookery include tomatoes, cabbage, and onions. There are many starchy dishes, such as feijoada, a rich bean stew, and aorda, a thick bread-based casserole generally flavoured with garlic and coriander or seafood. Many dishes are served with salad usually made of tomato, lettuce, and onion flavoured with olive oil and vinegar. Potatoes are also extremely common in Portuguese cuisine, and rice is used more than in any other European cuisine[citation needed]. Soups made from a variety of vegetables are commonly available, one of the most popular being caldo verde, made from moderately thin potato pure, thinly chopped collard greens and slices of chourio.

Drinks
A glass of tawny port. Wine (red, white and green) is the traditional Portuguese drink, Ros being one of the most popular among foreigners but not very appreciated by Portuguese themselves. Vinho Verde, or green wine, is a specific kind of wine, which can be red, white or ros, and is only produced in the northwest (Minho province). The term "green wine" does not refer to the colour of the drink but to the fact that this wine needs to be drunk "young". A green wine should be consumed as a new wine while a "maduro" wine usually can be consumed mature. Green wines are only produced in the north of Portugal and are usually slightly sparkling. Portuguese wine is of high quality and in the last years has been considered by specialists among the best in the world. Port wine is a fortified wine of distinct

flavour produced in Douro normally served with desserts. Vinho da Madeira, is a regional wine produced in Madeira similar to sherry. From the distillation of grape wastes from wine production is made a variety of brandies (called aguardente, literally "burning water") which are very strong tasting. Typical liqueurs such as Licor Beiro and Ginjinha are very popular alcoholic beverages in Portugal.

Desserts
Rice pudding (arroz doce) in a typical Christmas meal, in Portugal The Portuguese enjoy rich egg-based desserts. These are often seasoned with spices such as cinnamon and vanilla. Perhaps most popular is leite-creme (a set egg custard). Also popular is arroz doce (a typical and popular rice pudding, a must in Christmas time parties), although aletria (a similar dish this time based upon a kind of vermicelli), is common. These are often decorated with elaborate stencilled patterns of cinnamon powder. Other custards include pudim flan. Cakes and pastries are also very popular. Most towns have a local speciality, usually egg or cream based pastry. Originally from Lisbon, but popular nationwide, as well as among the diaspora, are pastis de nata. These are small, extremely rich custard tarts. Other very popular pastries found in cafes, bakeries and pastry shops across the entire territory, include the bola de Berlim and the po-de-l. In the south specially in the Algarve region, many recipes include almonds and marzipan.

British cuisine

British cuisine

British cuisine is the specific set of cooking traditions and practices associated with the United Kingdom. Historically, British cuisine means "unfussy dishes made with quality local ingredients, matched with simple sauces to accentuate flavour, rather than disguise it."[1] However, British cuisine has absorbed the cultural influence of those that have settled in Britain, producing hybrid dishes, such as the South Asian chicken tikka masala, hailed as "Britain's true national dish".[2] Vilified as "unimaginative and heavy", British cuisine has traditionally been limited in its international recognition to the full breakfast and the Christmas dinner.[3] However, Celtic agriculture and animal breeding produced a wide variety of foodstuffs for indigenous Celts and Britons. Anglo-Saxon England developed meat and savory herb stewing techniques before the practice became common in Europe. The Norman conquest introduced exotic spices into England in the Middle Ages.[3] The British Empire facilitated a knowledge of India's elaborate food tradition of "strong, penetrating spices and herbs".[3] Food rationing policies, put in place by the British government during wartime periods of the 20th century,[4] are said to have been the stimulus for British cuisine's poor international reputation.[3] British dishes include fish and chips, the Sunday roast, and bangers and mash. British cuisine has several national and regional varieties, including English, Scottish and Welsh cuisine, which each have developed their own regional or local dishes, many of which are geographically indicated foods such

as Cheshire cheese, the Yorkshire pudding, Arbroath Smokie, and Welsh cakes.

History
Romano-British agriculture, highly fertile soils and advanced animal breeding produced a wide variety of very high quality foodstuffs for indigenous Romano-British people. Anglo-Saxon England developed meat and savoury herb stewing techniques and the Norman conquest reintroduced exotic spices and continental influences back into Great Britain in the Middle Ages[3] as maritime Britain became a major player in the transcontinental spice trade for many centuries after. Following the Protestant Reformation in the 16th and 17th centuries "plain and robust" food remained the mainstay of the British diet, reflecting tastes which are still shared with neighbouring north European countries and traditional North American Cuisine. In the 18th and 19th centuries, as the Colonial British Empire began to be influenced by India's elaborate food tradition of "strong, penetrating spices and herbs", the United Kingdom developed a worldwide reputation[5] for the quality of British beef and pedigree bulls were exported to form the bloodline of major modern beef herds in the New World.[3] During the World Wars of the 20th century difficulties of food supply were countered by official measures which included rationing. The problem was worse in the second World War and the Ministry of Food was established to address the problems. See Rationing in the United Kingdom during and after World War II. Due to the economic problems following the war rationing continued for some years afterwards. Food rationing policies, put in place by the British government during wartime periods of the 20th century,[4] are often claimed as the stimulus for the decline of British cuisine in the twentieth century. In common with many advanced economies, rapid urbanisation and the early industrialisation of food production as well as female emancipation have resulted in a highly modern consumer society with reduced connection to the rural environment and adherence to traditional household roles. Consequently food security has increasingly become a major popular concern.[6]Concerns over the quality and nutritional

value of industrialised food production led to the creation of the Soil Association in 1946. Its principles of organic farming are now widely promoted and accepted as an essential element of contemporary food culture by many sections of the UK population, and animal welfare in farming is amongst the most advanced in the world. The last half of the 20th century saw an increase in the availability of a greater range of good quality fresh products and greater willingness by many sections of the British population to vary their diets and select dishes from other cultures such as those of Italy and India.

Modern British cuisine

Modern British (or New British) cuisine is a style of British cooking which fully emerged in the late 1970s, and has become increasingly popular. It uses high-quality local ingredients, preparing them in ways which combine traditional British recipes with modern innovations, and has an affinity with the Slow Food movement. It is not generally a nostalgic movement, although there are some efforts to re-introduce pre-twentieth-century recipes. Ingredients not native to the islands, particularly herbs and spices, are frequently added to traditional dishes (echoing the highly spiced nature of much British food in the medieval era). Much Modern British cooking also draws heavily on influences from Mediterranean cuisines, and more recently, Middle Eastern, South Asian, East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines. The traditional influence of northern and central European cuisines is significant but fading. The Modern British style of cooking emerged as a response to the depressing food rationing that persisted for several years after the Second World War, along with restrictions on foreign currency exchange, making travel difficult. A hunger for exotic cooking was satisfied by writers such as Elizabeth David, who from 1950 produced evocative books whose recipes (mostly French and Mediterranean) were then often impossible to produce in Britain, where even olive oil could only normally be found in chemists rather than food stores. By the 1960s foreign holidays, and foreign-style restaurants in Britain, further widened the popularity of foreign cuisine

Varieties

English cuisine Scottish cuisine Welsh cuisine Gibraltarian cuisine Anglo-Indian cuisine

Dates of introduction methods to Britain

Prehistory (before 43 AD)

of

various

foodstuffs

and

bread from mixed grains: around 3700 BC[7] dog: possibly a ritual food [8] oats: around 1000 BC[7]

wheat: around 500 BC[7] rabbit: late Iron Age/early Roman[9]

Roman era (43 to 410)

apple (?) asparagus

[10]

coriander
[12]

celery chives
[11]

cucumber marjoram marrow

onion parsnip pea pheasant [5]

rosemary spearmint
[13]

turnip wine

Sub-Roman period to the discovery of the New World (410 to 1492)

kipper: 9th century (from Denmark or Norway) rye bread: Viking era,[14] around 500 AD[7] peach (imported): Anglo-Saxon

orange: 1290[15] sugar cane: 14th century[16] carrot: century[17] 15th

1492 to 1914

turkey: 1524[18] cayenne pepper,[19] parsley:[20] 1548 refined sugar: 1540s[15]

tea: 1610 or later[23] banana (from Bermuda):[24] 1633 coffee:

sandwich: named in 18th century curry: first appearance on a menu 1773; first

lemon: 1577 (first recorded cultivation)[21] peach (cultivated): 16th century[21] potato: 1586 horseradish:[22] 16th century

1650[25] chocolate: 1650s ice cream: first recorded serving in 1672.[26] broccoli: before 1724[27] tomato food):[28] 1750s (as

Indian restaurant 1809[29] rhubarb (as food): early 1800s[30] three-course meal: about 1850 (developed from service la Russe)[10] fish and chips: 1858 or 1863[15] Marmite: 1902[31]

After 1914

sugar beet: 1914-1918 sliced bread: 1930[15] Chinese restaurant: 1937?[29]

Spanish cuisine

Spanish cuisine

Spanish cuisine consists of a variety of dishes which stem from differences in geography, culture and climate. It is heavily influenced by seafood available from the waters that surround the country, and reflects the country's deep maritime roots. Spain's extensive history with many cultural influences has led to an array of unique cuisines with literally thousands of recipes and flavors. It is also renowned for its health benefits and fresh ingredients. The first introduction of a product to the ancient Iberia was that of wheat. Wheat was thought to be brought by Iberians from the south of the peninsula[citation needed]. It was perhaps brought from Aquitaine in the north of the peninsula, due to the difficulty of transporting from the south. In time, the wheat of Iberia came to be considered to be the best in the Roman Empire, and became one of the main commodities of foreign trade. The Romans' early approval of the wheat led to the spread of wheat from Spain to Greece and Egypt. There were two major kinds of diet in the peninsula. One was found in the northwest part of the peninsula, with more animal fats that correspond to the husbandry of the North. The other could be considered the precursor of the Mediterranean diet and was found in the southerly parts of the peninsula.

Roman cuisine
Olive oil As early as Roman times one can say that, with the exception of products later imported from the Americas, many modern foods were consumed, although mostly by the aristocracy, not the middle class. Cooking references from that era discuss the eating habits in Rome, where dishes from all of the Empire's provinces were brought. So, for an example, it is known that thousands of amphorae of olive oil were sent to Rome from Spain. Nonetheless, and especially in the Celtic areas, consumption of animal products (from lamb, beef, etc.) was more common than consumption of vegetables. It is almost certain that lentils were already consumed in Roman Spain, because they formed a staple food for the army and because they are easy to preserve and transport. Fava beans were known from antiquity and were considered sacred by the Romans. In the Saturnalia, the later December festival in honor of Saturn, fava beans were used to choose the king of the festival. This custom is believed to be the source of the present day custom of hiding an object in the roscn de reyes (similar to the sixpence traditional in a Christmas pudding); until quite recently, that object was a fava bean. Garbanzos were also popular, primarily among the poorer classes. Mushrooms were common and popular in the northern part of the country. They mastered the science of grafting. According to Pliny, Tibur saw a tree that produced a distinct fruit on each of its branches: nuts, apples, pomegranates, cherries, pears, but he added that they dried out quickly. Viticulture already was known and practiced by the Romans, but it seemed as well the fact that it was the Greeks who extended the vine across the Mediterranean region. This includes those wines that were most popular in the Empire. In this era the wealthy typically ate while lying on a couch (a custom acquired from the Greeks) and using their hands, because forks were not used for eating. Tablecloths were introduced in the 1st century. They came to use two plates, one flat (platina or patella) and the other deep (catinus), which they held with the left hand. That hand could not be used for

many other things while eating, given that they ate with their left arms while reclining in bed, so that only the right hand was free. Knives were known, but not particularly needed at table because the dishes were cut up by slaves into bitesize pieces. They used spoons, which, like today, had different sizes, depending on what they were used for. The first spoons were made from clam shells (hence, the name cuchara), with silver handles.

Typical dishes
Iberian pork embutidos. Andalusian "pescato" frito. Among the multitude of recipes that make up the varied cuisines of Spain, a few can be considered common to all or almost all of Spain's regions, even though some of them have an origin known and associated with specific places. Examples include most importantly potato omelette ("tortilla de patata", "tortilla espaola" or just "tortilla"), paella, various stews, migas, sausages (such as embutidos, chorizo, and morcilla), jamn serrano, and cheeses. There are also many dishes based on beans (chickpeas, lentils, green beans); soups, with many regional variations; and bread, that has numerous forms, with distinct varieties in each region. The regional variations are less pronounced in Spanish desserts and cakes: flan, custard, rice pudding (arroz con leche), torrijas, churros, and madeleines are some of the most representative examples. Others foods include:

Arroz Con Leche (rice pudding) Calamares a la romana (Fried squid) Cocido (a chickpea and meat stew of sorts) Cocido Montas typical from Cantabria Chorizo (spicy sausage) Chuletillas (grilled chops of milk-fed lamb)

Regional cuisine samples

Madrid: the cocido madrileo (Madrid's chickpea stew) and the tripe dish callos a la madrilea, strawberries from Aranjuez or melons from Villaconejos, the wines from Navalcarnero and the Ans (anisette) liqueur of Chinchn. Catalonia: Alongside Valencia, Catalonia has a long tradition of rice-dishes and seafood. In addition, cooked and cured sausages from Vic are famous. Perhaps the most well-known dish is the Catalan cream, similar to crme brle. Catalan cuisine is rich, pa amb tomquet and botifarra are typical food of Catalonia. La Rioja: above all its international Rioja wines, as well as its vegetable soups, its pepper and potato dishes (that dumbfounded even Paul Bocuse, so the story goes). Extremadura: Cocido extremeo (a rich stew of bacon, fowl, ham, meats, and vegetables), embutidos of Iberian pork, cheeses (including the indispensable torta del casar, a close relative of the Portuguese queijo da serra), pitarra wine. Andalusia: (Andalucia) fried fish, salmorejo and gazpacho. Seafood, especially shrimp, squid, mackerel and flatfish. Jabugo ham and Sherry wine. Aragn: Somontano, Borja and other wines. Jamn serrano (cured ham) in Teruel. Migas, very typical in small villages. Nuestra Seora del Pilar sweets in Zaragoza. "Ternasco con patatas a lo pobre", one of the most popular dishes in Aragn. "Borrajas", vegetable typical of this zone. Peaches with red wine (from Calanda, in Teruel). Murcia: products of its rich gardens, such as zarangollo; fish and lamb stews; and the wines of Jumilla. Valencia: The Valencian region, specialises amongst others in the famous Paella, and is its birthplace. This dish is very popular, and it's common to cook one each Sunday for family lunch. In fact, in Valencia, during Falles, one of the biggest holidays there, it is quite normal to find big paellas being cooked in the street. The typical Valencian pael contains meat and vegetables, but many other variants of rice-based dishes can be found, with shellfish, meatballs or just covered in egg ("Arrs amb crosta"). Balearic Islands:A typical island-based diet of seafood and simple, vegetable-based dishes as well as Sobrasada. Samfaina (Ratatouille) and Cocas are typical of Catalan

cuisine generally. Majorca's biggest export is the Ensaimada, a pastry. Basque country: skillfully cooked dishes such as "txangurro relleno" (spider crab) "marmitako" and hake and clams. Idiazabal cheese and a distinctive wine called "txakoli". Piquillo peppers, filled with cod or tuna. Navarre: vegetable stews, Tudela's lettuce hearts with anchovies, salmon, or a simple vinaigrette (oil, salt and vinegar); piquillo peppers, which are often stuffed with meat; trout a la Navarra (cooked stuffed with bacon and cheese), Roncal and Idiazabal cheeses, curd from Ultzama, claret wine, and patxaran liquor. Galicia: Caldo gallego; an array of seafoods, especially octopus, cod and goose barnacles; Tarta de Santiago, a tart made of almonds and lemon; empanadas; Albario wine from the Rias Baixas.

German cuisine

German cuisine

German cuisine is a style of cooking derived from the nation of Germany. It has evolved as a national cuisine through centuries of social and political change with variations from region to region. The southern regions of Germany, Bavaria and Swabia share many dishes. Ingredients and dishes vary by province. There are many significant regional dishes that have become both national and regional. Many dishes that were once regional, however, have proliferated in different variations across the country in the present day.

Regional cuisine
Thuringia : Thringer Rostbratwurst Agriculture figures highly into the diet of Thuringia with about half of the state being used for agriculture. Wheat, rapeseed, sugarbeet, and barley grow well, along with a variety of vegetables which grow near Erfurt, the state's capital. Cauliflower (740 acres), cabbage (savoy, red, white) (25 acres), kohlrabi (37 acres), broccoli (37 acres) grow by traditional means near Erfurt. Tomatoes, lettuce, broad beans, onions, and cucumbers are grown in the eastern portion of the region near Jena under glass centers on about 12 acres (49,000 m2) of land. Thuringia is the second largest herbgrowing region in Germany; the town of Kolleda was once considered the "peppermint town", where herb growers used to congregate to study herb cultivation.[1] The most famous foods from Thuringia are Thuringian sausages and Thuringian dumplings. The state is also known for its sausages; steamed, scaled, and cured varieties are all

prepared. Popular varieties include Thringer mettwurst (a spreadable cured sausage), Feldkieker (a cured, air-dried sausage dried up to eight months), Thringer leberwurst (a steamed pork and liver sausage), Thringer rotwurst (a steamed blood sausage packed in a bladder or other natural casing).[3]

Saxony-Anhalt
Milbenkse Cereal grain cultivation occupies 62% of the cultivated land in Saxony-Anhalt. Wheat, barley, oats, and rye are grown, with the rye being grown near Borde, where the rye is used to make Burger Knackebrot, a flatbread produced there since 1931. Another ten percent of the cultivated area is planted in sugar beets for conversion to sugar, popularized after the 19th century when the region had an economic boom.[4] Whitefish have figured into the regional diet after a fisherman introduced them to the Arendsee over 110 years ago. Fishing was once prominent in the Elbe river, which contains 33 of the 40 species of fish caught in the region. Mercury, hexachlorobenzene, DDT, musk compounds and heptachlor have caused the Elbe to become contaminated, so commercial fishing has been banned since 1989.[5] Wrchwitzer Spinnenkse (Milbenkse) is a cheese produced in Wrchwitz made by allowing quark to sit amongst thousands of dust mites that transforms the cheese into a highly desired delicacy. The mites excrete an enzyme that ripens the cheese; after one month the cheese turns to a yellowish color, after three months it turns reddish brown, and after a year the cheese turns to a blackish lump, which is desirable to some aficionados. The flavor is characterized as being bitter; it is also suggested that the cheese may have curative effects that keep the people who consume it non-allergic to house dust. The mites are consumed along with the cheese. [6]

Meat
Pork, beef, and poultry are the main varieties of meat consumed in Germany, with pork being the most popular. The average person in Germany will consume up to 33 kg. (72 lbs.) meat in a year. Among poultry, chicken is most common, although duck, goose, and turkey are also enjoyed. Game

meats, especially boar, rabbit, and venison are also widely available all year round. Lamb and goat are also available, but are not as popular. Meat is usually pot-roasted; pan-fried dishes also exist, but these recipes usually originate from France. Throughout Germany, meat is very often eaten as sausages. There are more than 1500 different types of sausage (Wurst) [7] in Germany.

Fish
Trout is the most common freshwater fish on the German menu; pike, carp, and European perch also are listed frequently. Seafood traditionally was restricted to the northern coastal areas, except for pickled herring, often served as Rollmops (a pickled herring fillet rolled into a cylindrical shape around a piece of pickled gherkin or onion). Today many sea fish, like fresh herring, tuna, mackerel, salmon and sardines are well established throughout the country. Prior to the industrial revolution and the ensuing pollution of the rivers, salmon were common in the rivers of Rhine, Elbe, and Oder.

Vegetables
Vegetables are often used in stews or vegetable soups, but are also served as a side dish. Carrots, turnips, spinach, peas, beans, broccoli and many types of cabbage are very common. Fried onions are a common addition to many meat dishes throughout the country. Asparagus, especially white asparagus known in English as spargel (the German name for asparagus), is a common side dish or may be prepared as a main dish. Restaurants will sometimes devote an entire menu to nothing but white asparagus when it is in season. Spargel season (German: Spargelzeit or Spargelsaison) traditionally begins in mid-May and ends on St. John's Day (24 June). Potatoes, while a major part of the German cuisine, are usually not counted among vegetables by Germans.

Desserts
A wide variety of cakes and tarts are served throughout the country, most commonly made with fresh fruit. Apples, plums, strawberries, and cherries are used regularly in cakes.

Cheesecake is also very popular, often made with quark. Schwarzwlder Kirschtorte is another very well-known cake, made with cherries. German doughnuts (which have no hole) are usually balls of yeast dough with jam or other fillings, and are known as Berliner, Kreppel or Krapfen depending on the region. Eierkuchen or Pfannkuchen are large, and relatively thin pancakes, comparable to the French Crpes. They are served covered with sugar, jam or syrup. Salty variants with cheese, ground meat or bacon exist as well (but aren't usually considered desserts, but main dishes). In some regions Eierkuchen are filled and then wrapped, in others they're cut into small pieces and arranged in a heap. The word Pfannkuchen can either mean German doughnuts (see Berliner) or pancakes (see Eierkuchen), depending on the region. A popular dessert in northern Germany is "Rote Grtze", red fruit pudding, which is made with black and red currants, raspberries and sometimes strawberries or cherries cooked in juice with corn starch as a thickener. It is traditionally served with cream, but also is served with vanilla sauce, milk or whipped cream. "Rhabarbergrtze" (rhubarb pudding) and "Grne Grtze" (gooseberry fruit pudding) are variations of the "Rote Grtze". A similar dish, Obstkaltschale, may also be found all around Germany. In the northern regions of Germany, strawberries are often served with vanilla ice cream and black pepper. This northern specialty was brought to Germany by the Hanseatic League in the late 17th century. Ice cream and sorbets are also very popular. Italian-run ice cream parlours were the first large wave of foreign-run eateries in Germany, becoming widespread in the 1920s. A popular ice cream treat is called Spaghettieis.

Bread
Bread is a significant part of German cuisine and is considered necessary for a healthy diet. About 600 main types of breads and 1,200 different types of pastries and rolls are produced in about 17,000 bakeries and another 10,000 in-shop bakeries. Bread is served usually for breakfast and in the evening as sandwiches, but rarely as a side dish for the main meal. The importance of bread (Brot) in German cuisine is also illustrated by words such as Abendbrot (meaning supper, literally Evening Bread) and Brotzeit (snack, literally Bread Time). In fact, one

of the major complaints of the German expatriates in many parts of the world is their inability to find acceptable local breads. Regarding bread, German cuisine is more varied than that of either Eastern or Western Europe. Bread types range from white wheat bread to grey (Graubrot) to black (Schwarzbrot), actually dark brown rye bread. Most breads contain both wheat and rye flour (hence Mischbrot, mixed bread), and often wholemeal and whole seeds (such as linseed, sunflower seed, or pumpkin seed) as well. Darker, rye-dominated breads such as Vollkornbrot or Schwarzbrot are typical of German cuisine. Pumpernickel, a steamed, sweet-tasting bread, is internationally well-known, although not representative of German black bread as a whole. Most German breads are made with sourdough. Whole grain is preferred for high fibre. Germans use almost all available types of grain for their breads: wheat, rye, barley, spelt, oats, millet, corn and rice. Some breads are made with potato flour. Germany's most popular breads are: 1. Rye-wheat ("Roggenmischbrot") 2. Toast bread ("Toastbrot") 3. Whole-grain ("Vollkornbrot") 4. Wheat-rye ("Weizenmischbrot") 5. White bread ("Weibrot") 6. Multi-grain ("Mehrkornbrot") 7. Rye ("Roggenbrot") 8. Sunflower seed ("Sonnenblumenkernbrot") 9. Pumpkin seed ("Krbiskernbrot") 10. Onion bread ("Zwiebelbrot")

Structure of meals
Breakfast (Frhstck) commonly consists of bread, toast, and/or bread rolls with jam ("Konfitre" or more commonly called "Marmelade"), marmalade or honey, eggs, and strong coffee or tea (milk, cocoa or juice for children). Deli meats, such as ham, salted meats and salami, are also commonly eaten on bread in the morning, as are various cheeses. A variety of meat-based spreads such as Leberwurst (liver sausage) are eaten during breakfast as well. Traditionally, the main meal of the day has been lunch (Mittagessen), eaten around noon. Dinner (Abendessen or

Abendbrot) was always a smaller meal, often consisting only of a variety of breads, meat or sausages, cheese and some kind of vegetables, similar to breakfast, or possibly sandwiches. However, in Germany, as in other parts of Europe, dining habits have changed over the last 50 years. Today, many people eat only a small meal in the middle of the day at work, and enjoy a hot dinner in the evening at home with the whole family. This is also the reason why the availability of cheap restaurants close to the office or the existence of a factory canteen cannot be assumed automatically. For others, the traditional way of eating is still rather common, and not only in rural areas. Breakfast is still very popular and may be elaborated and extended on weekends, with friends invited as guests. Since the 1990s the Sunday brunch has also become common, especially in city cafs.

Drinks
The various kinds of bottled Klsch beer Beer is very common throughout all parts of Germany, with many local and regional breweries producing a wide variety of superb beers. Beer is generally not as expensive as in other countries and is of excellent quality. The pale lager pilsener is predominant in most parts of the country today, whereas wheat beer (Weissbier) and other types of lager are common, especially in Bavaria. A number of regions have local specialties, many of which, like Weissbier, are more traditionally-brewed ales. Among these are Altbier, a dark beer available around the lower Rhine, Klsch, a similar style in the Cologne area, and the low-alcohol Berliner Weie, a sour beer made in Berlin that is often mixed with raspberry syrup. Since the reunification of 1990, Schwarzbier, which was common in East Germany but could hardly be found in West Germany, has become increasingly popular in Germany as a whole. Beer may also be mixed with other beverages:

pils or lager and lemonade: Radler, Alsterwasser pils or lager and cola: Diesel, Schmutziges or simply Colabier Altbier and cola: Krefelder wheat beer and lemonade: Russ wheat beer and cola: Colaweizen

In the few last years, many breweries served this trend of mixing beer with other drinks by selling bottles of alreadymixed beverages. Examples are Bibob (from Kstritzer), Veltins V+, Mixery (from Karlsberg) and Cab (from Krombacher). Beer is generally sold in bottles or from draught. Canned beer is available, but cans almost vanished after the introduction of a deposit fee.

Wine is also popular throughout the country. German wine comes predominantly from the areas along the upper and middle Rhine and its tributaries. Riesling and Silvaner are among the best-known varieties of white wine, while Sptburgunder and Dornfelder are important German red wines. The sweet German wines sold in English speaking countries seem mostly to cater to the foreign market, as they are rare in Germany. Korn is a German spirit made from malt (wheat, rye and/or barley), that is consumed predominantly in the middle and northern parts of Germany. Obstler on the other hand, distilled from apples and pears ("Obstler"), plums, cherries (Kirschwasser), or mirabelle plums, is preferred in the southern parts. The term Schnaps refers to both kinds of hard liquors. Coffee is also very common, not only for breakfast, but also accompanying a piece of cake in the afternoon, usually on Sundays or special occasions and birthdays. It is generally filter coffee, somewhat stronger than usual in the UK though weaker than espresso. Tea is more common in the Northwest. East Frisians traditionally have their tea with cream and rock candy ("Kluntje"). Popular soft drinks include Apfelschorle, apple juice mixed with sparkling mineral water, and Spezi, made with cola and an orange-flavored drink such as Fanta. Germans are unique among their neighbors in preferring strongly carbonated bottled waters ("Sprudel") to non-carbonated ones.

Drinking water of excellent quality is available everywhere and at any time in Germany. Water provided by the public water industry can be had without hesitation directly from the tap. No chlorine is added. Drinking water is controlled by state authority to ensure it is potable. Regulations are even stricter than those for bottled water (see Trinkwasserverordnung). There is no need at all to buy water in bottles in Germany for health reasons, though the taste of the tap water varies widely, usually being better in rural areas.

Specialities from Republic

the

former

German

Democratic

The cuisine of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) differed in several ways from the cuisine of West Germany and today's united Germany. East German cuisine was strongly influenced by Russian, Hungarian, Bulgarian and other Eastern European countries from the 1960s on. East Germans travelled abroad to these countries on holiday and immigrants to East Germany from these countries brought their dishes with them. A typical dish that came to the East German kitchen this way is Soljanka.

Another dissimilarity was the lack of certain spices in the GDR. Oregano, for example, was totally unknown and the value of garlic and Worcestershire sauce reached extremes. Lemon juice had to be replaced with vinegar and instead of capers, peas soaked in brine were used. While cooking with wine (as is typical in the wine-growing regions of Franconia and Hesse) was known, the lack of good wine on the East German market reserved this for special occasions. For these reasons Ragout fin (commonly known as Wrzfleisch) became a highly soughtafter delicacy. East German cafeterias had a unified cuisine. Over the entire country cafeterias in companies and schools served the same food. The cafeterias were commonly run by the national trading organisation (Handelsorganisation - HO) . The menu listed about 300 dishes that tasted almost the same everywhere, since the recipes were standardised. The lack of

supplies and the pressure of cooking for large numbers of people gave rise to several typical East German inventions, such as Jgerschnitzel - large and thin slices of Jagdwurst, covered with bread crumbs, pan-fried and served with tomato sauce and noodles. An effort has been made to preserve this cultural East German heritage, and a collection of East German HO recipes is available online in German.

Chinese cuisine

Chinese cuisine

Chinese cuisine (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Zhngguci; literally "Chinese dish" or simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Zhngcn; literally "Chinese meal") originated in China and has become widespread in many other parts of the world from Asia to the Americas, Australia, Western Europe and Southern Africa. In recent years, connoisseurs of Chinese cuisine have also sprouted in Eastern Europe and South Asia. American Chinese cuisine and Indian Chinese cuisine are prominent examples of Chinese cuisine that has been adapted to suit local palates.

Regional
Regional cultural differences vary greatly within China, giving rise to the different styles of food across the nation. Traditionally there are eight main regional cuisines, or Eight Great Traditions ( ): Anhui, Cantonese, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong, Sichuan and Zhejiang. Sometimes four of the Eight Great Traditions are given greater emphasis as the Four Great Traditions ( ), and are considered to be the dominate culinary heritage of China:[1] these are notably defined along geographical lines: Sichuan (Western China), Cantonese (Southern China), Shandong (Northern China), and Huaiyang Cuisine (Eastern China), a major style derived from Jiangsu cuisine and even viewed as the representative of that region's cooking. In modern times, Beijing cuisine and Shanghai cuisine on occasion are also cited along with the classical eight regional styles as the Ten Great Traditions ( ). There are also

featured Chinese Buddhist cuisine and Muslim sub-cuisines within the greater Chinese cuisine, with an emphasis on vegetarian and halal-based diets respectively.

Vegetarianism
Vegetarianism is only practiced by a relatively small fraction of the population. Most Chinese vegetarians are Buddhists, following the Buddhist teachings about minimizing suffering. Chinese vegetarian dishes often contain large varieties of vegetables (e.g. Bok Choy, shiitake mushroom, sprouts, corn) and some imitation meat. Such imitation meat is created mostly with soy protein and/or wheat gluten to imitate the texture, taste, and appearance of duck, chicken, or pork. Imitation seafood items, made from other vegetable substances such as konjac, are also available.

Contemporary health trends

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates for 20012003, 12% of the population of the Peoples Republic of China was undernourished.[2] The number of undernourished people in the country has fallen from 386.6 million in 19691971 to 150.0 million in 20012003.
[3]

Undernourishment is a problem mainly in the central and western part of the country, while "unbalanced nutrition" is made chronic diseases more prevalent. As of 2008, 22.8 percent of the population were overweight and 18.8 percent had high blood pressure. The number of diabetes cases in China is the highest in the world. In 1959, the incidence of high blood pressure was only 5.9 percent.[4][5] A typical Chinese peasant before Mao Zedong would have eaten meat rarely and most meals would have consisted of rice accompanied with green vegetables, with protein coming from foods like peanuts and soy products. Fats and sugar were luxuries not eaten on a regular basis by most of the population. With increasing wealth, Chinese diets have become richer over time, consuming more meats, fats, and sugar. Health advocates put some of the blame on the increased popularity of US foods, especially fast food, and other culinary products and habits. Many US fast food chains have appeared

in China, and are highly successful economically. These include McDonald's, Pizza Hut, and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). An extensive epidemiological study called the China Project is being conducted to observe the relationship of disease patterns to diet, particularly the move from the traditional Chinese diet to one which incorporates more rich US-style foods. Controversially, Professor T. Colin Campbell, an "outspoken vegan"[6], has implicated the increased consumption of animal protein in particular as having a strong correlation with cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and other diseases that, while common in Western countries, were once considered rare in China. He suggests that even a small increase in the consumption of animal protein can dramatically raise the risk of the aforementioned diseases.[citation needed]

Scandinavian Cuisine

Scandinavian Cuisine
Scandinavian Cuisine History
Three Scandinavian countries Norway, Denmark and Sweden share a similar cuisine style and relatively close cuisine development histories. In the 11th-12th century Denmark ruled over Norway and 1389 the Queen of Denmark and Norway became queen of Sweden. Denmark's influence over Sweden and Norway started to diminish in the 19th century, but the food related traditions remained. There are no distinct Scandinavian cuisines that were determined by geographical or social contexts, as we will find in other parts of the world. The Scandinavian cuisine is based on a simple cooking style, often very mild and not very spicy. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are the main meals of the day all over the Scandinavian Peninsula. Although most European countries consider lunch the main meal of the day, Scandinavian countries place more importance on dinner, which is the most consistent meal of the day. Workers often only have a quick snack for lunch, instead of a sumptuous meal. Many of the cooking styles and dishes used by the Vikings are still present in the Scandinavian cuisine today, and Scandinavians are proud of their Viking heritage, a fact that is also noticed in the way they preserve the authenticity of such foods.

The traditional Scandinavian breakfast is very light and fugitive, consisting mainly of some cookies and coffee. Bread is also used, with butter and jam, but in most cases this meal is not considered very important thats also because Scandinavians usually go to school and work early, at 8 oclock. Lunch is richer in nutrients than breakfast, but most Scandinavians dont place all that much importance on it a quick snack or a sandwich will do in most cases. Dinner, however, is served early, around 6 PM, and it is the main meal of the day. All Scandinavian countries see dinner as a family event, where all the members of the family return from school or work and enjoy the meal together. A Scandinavian dinner usually consists of a soup to start and a fish or meat dish for main course. Desert is sometimes served, but it is not a daily dish. Of course, the different Scandinavian countries also have slightly different eating habits. Danes and Norwegians only eat one hot meal a day while Swedes eat more hot meals each day. The cold smorrebrod is usually the lunch of the Danes and Norwegians, while in Sweden children return from school home, around 11 AM, for a hot lunch. A similar custom to the traditional English tea exists in the Scandinavian Peninsula Scandinavians serve bread, biscuits, cookies, pastry and coffee around 2-3 PM. AS for drinks, beer and snaps are enjoyed with the food and dry sherry.

Recipe:
Norwegian the cuisine is characterized by a sense of practicality and economy. Norwegians love their meat, whether it is Pork, Veal or fish meat, and you will notice that most of their dishes are concentrated on this main ingredient. The vast wild areas of Norway, and the abundance of fish and game, makes such natural food resources a top pick for many traditional dishes. Norwegian cuisine uses elements from various cooking traditions borrowed from their neighbors and developed from their own traditional dishes. The simplicity of the cuisine does not imply a lack of taste, but it does make life

easier for the cook. Smoked salmon is probably the most famous type of food product related to Norway. Danish the cuisine of Denmark is characterized by high levels of meat and animal fat and a rather low level of plants and vegetables. The long winters from the Scandinavian Peninsula shaped the face of the Danish cuisine. Although agriculture is well developed, due to the climate, game and fish are often preferred. Fresh vegetables are rare in the traditional Danish recipes, and many dishes rely on seasonal fruits or vegetables. On the other hand, the climate enables lengthy meet preservation, so smoked meat is one of the most frequently used ingredients in the Danish cuisine. The Danish cuisine is rather conservative, and the numerous islands that form Denmark helped keep the traditional, conservative cooking styles alive until modern times. Sweden It is considered rude not to finish the food you have on the plate, mainly because, in many cases, you serve yourself and you are responsible for the amount of food you place on your plate. The meals are not very elaborate and many will find them scarce in vegetables. Traditional recipes were influenced by the lack of plants due to the long Swedish winters and many modern dishes still include only small amounts of vegetables. rutabaga is a native turnip that was among the most popular plant types in Swedish cooking until it got replaced by the Potato. In both major inhabited regions of Sweden Gothenburg on the west coast and Stockholm on the east the abundance of fish, mainly Herring, had its influence on traditional cooking. Although the salted Herring, which was used as trading goods hundreds of years ago, is not part of modern Swedish dishes, we will still find it in several cookbooks as one of the national food elements.

Preparation Cooking :

Methods

for

Scandinavian

Each traditional dish has a special cooking method, which is more or less general in all of the countrys regions. Meat is one of the main elements of most Scandinavian dishes and Herring is extremely popular, together with other fish types. Salmon is abundant in the area of the Peninsula, and it constitutes a very popular dish, both on a local and international level. Cold food is often consumed in the Scandinavian region - smorgasbord is a buffet table consisting mainly of cold dishes of herrings, fish, meat, salad and cheeses. The smorgasbord is accompanied by slices of buttered bread and it constitutes one of the most frequent meals in the Peninsula. Smorgasbord begins with cured herrings and cold fish and meat dishes including roasted meats follow, together with hot or cold vegetables and a salad. Scandinavian dishes are still prepared, even by modern chefs, in the traditional way using simple tools and basic ingredients, but utilizing them to the maximum, so as to create a delicious and nutritious meal. Whether you are cooking Swedish meatballs, the Danish Leverpostej (rough-chopped liverpaste served on dark rye bread) or the Norwegian smoked salmon, you will notice that the Scandinavian cuisine produces excellent results with simple and fast cooking methods.

Special Equipment for Scandinavian Cooking ;

Most Scandinavian dishes dont require you to purchase any special tools. However, having a coffee grinder helps with roasting and grinding spices and maximizes their volatile oils, which, in turn, provides your food with more flavor. One can successfully prepare quite a few Scandinavian dishes by using just basic kitchen instruments, but it is recommended that you stock your kitchen with a well balanced set of utensils that will help you reduce cooking time and will enable you to present your Swedish, Danish or Norwegian dishes in a more attractive way. Essential utensils like serving spoons, spatulas, forks, turners, scrapers and tongs should be part of your cooking "arsenal", together with other cooking instruments that make work in the kitchen more efficient. Ranging from cake pans, can openers, colanders, egg rings, poachers and holders, food dishers & portioners, food pans & food containers to other kitchen utensils, such as food scales, food scoops and fryer baskets & accessories, the Scandinavian cuisine needs a diverse cooking equipment set in order to produce the most

sophisticated Scandinavian dishes. You should consider insulated food carriers if you are transporting the food and a full set of kitchen linens and uniforms if you wish to look like a pro. Here are a few other items that will come handy while cooking Scandinavian food: juicers, kitchen knives, kitchen slicers, kitchen thermometers, measuring cups & measuring spoons, miscellaneous utensils, mixing bowls and skimmers & strainers.

Scandinavian Food Traditions and Festivals :

Festivities are moments of joy, when the family comes together in all the Scandinavian countries. Christmas is one of the most important holidays of the year. Food is very important on Christmas and on the smorgasbord or dinner table you can expect to find dishes such as: rice pudding, Christmas Ham, stockfish, Herring, cheese and bread, meatballs, small frying sausages, red cabbage, liver pt, Veal brawn, spare ribs and the list goes on. Easter is also festively celebrated, although less stress is placed on the culinary aspect, as the religious aura tends to dominate the celebrations. Some of the most expected celebrations are national days this is when each Scandinavian enjoys a traditional, home made meal. Each of the Scandinavian countries takes pride in their own variations of the food specific to the area. The Scandinavian cuisine is a rather conservative one, still, there are strong influences from the Italian and French cuisines. Many new restaurants are populating the large Norwegian, Danish or Swedish cities, and some of them often an extremely varied and exotic cuisine choice. Scandinavians love home cooking but they also love eating out, and for many festivities it is customary for the family to enjoy a dinner in a restaurant.

Middle Eastern cuisine

Cuisines

Afghan cuisine Armenian cuisine Azerbaijani cuisine Assyrian cuisine Bahraini cuisine Cypriot cuisine Emirati cuisine Georgian cuisine Iranian cuisine Iraqi cuisine Israeli cuisine Jordanian cuisine Kurdish cuisine Kuwaiti cuisine Lebanese cuisine Palestinian cuisine Saudi Arabian cuisine Syrian cuisine Turkish cuisine Yemeni cuisine

Levantine cuisine
Levantine cuisine is the traditional cuisine of the Levant, known in Arabic as the Bilad ash-Sham. This region shared many culinary traditions under the Ottoman Empire which continue to be influential today. It covers the modern states of Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Northern Iraq, Southern Turkey near Adana, Gaziantep, Antakya, and Mardin and the Palestinian territories. Aleppo was a major cultural and commercial centre in this region. Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of this cuisine are mezze including tabbouleh, hummus and baba ghanoush.

Levantine cuisine

Olives Hummus Tabbouleh Muhamma ra Manakish Fattoush Shawarma Baklava

Labaneh Matbuch a Baba ghanous h Shashlik Lentil soup Burekas Dolma Sfiha

Tahini Kibbeh Qatayef Sambusa c Maqluba Shanklish Pita Arak

Toum Arabic salad Za'atar Falafel

Yemeni cuisine
The cuisine of Yemen is entirely distinct from the more widely known Middle Eastern cuisines. Yemeni cuisine also differs slightly from region to region. Yemen cuisine has heavy Ottoman Turkish influence due to the Ottoman occupation.[1]

Ingredients
Chicken and lamb are eaten more often than beef, which is expensive. Fish is also eaten especially in the coastal areas. Cheese, butter, and other dairy products are less common in the Yemeni diet. Buttermilk, however, is enjoyed almost daily in some villages where it is most available. The most commonly used lipids are vegetable oil used in savory dishes, and semn (( )clarified butter) is the choice of fat used in pastries.

Other Yemeni dishes

Aseed, Fahsa, Thareed, Samak Mofa, Lahm Mandi, Fattah, Shafut, Bint AlSahn, Jachnun, Mutabbaq, Shakshouka.

Yemeni bread varieties

Tawa, Tameez, Laxoox, Malooga, Kader, Fateer, Kudam, Rashoosh, Oshar, Khamira Flat bread is usually baked at home in a tandoor called taboon ( .)Malooga, khubz, and khamira are popular homemade breads. Store-bought pita bread and roti (bread rolls like French bread) are also common.

Drinks
Milk tea (after Qat), black tea (with clove, cardamom or mint), Qishr (coffee husks), Qahwa (coffee), Karkadin (dried karkadin flowers), Naqe'e Al Zabib cold raisin drink, Diba'a squash nectar. Although coffee and tea are consumed throughout Yemen, coffee is the preferred drink in Sana'a whereas black tea is the beverage of choice in Aden and Hadhramaut. Tea is consumed along with breakfast, after lunch (occasionally with sweets and pastries), and along with dinner. Popular flavorings include cloves with cardamom and mint.[3] A drink made from coffee husks called qishr is also enjoyed.