Saturday, January 16, 2010

World Cuisines: A World of Taste on Your Table

By Ashley King

Many of the foods we eat in North America nowadays have their origins in far flung areas of the world. Here's a look at a few of the favorite world cuisines influencing the way we eat today.

Italian: Different regions of Italy have different histories and different cuisines. Roman cuisine makes much use of offal and pecorino, which is a cheese made out of sheep's milk. The cuisine of Tuscany is largely based on simple food, such as white beans and meat. The seasoning in Tuscan cuisine is simple and relies on parsley, basil, thyme. The cuisine of Emilia-Romagna is famous for lasagna and tortellini. Naples is famous for its pastries and its cuisine makes good use of mozzarella cheese.

In a traditional Italian meal, certain courses are served in a specific order. All courses are served on separate plates. A traditional Italian menu has a number of common items. L'antipasto is the appetizer. The term translates as "before the meal." Antipasto includes both hot and cold dishes. Il Primo is the first course. This course is composed of hot dishes. For example, il primo could include such dishes as pasta, polenta, and soup. Il secondo is the second course. This is the main course and could include dishes made of beef, poultry, game, seafood, or veal. The side dish is referred to as il contorno. Il contorno is served following the main dishes and includes items such as mixed salad and vegetables. Il dolce is dessert. Il dolce could include gelato, tiramisu, or zabaglione.

Mexican: Mexico's past is still evident in the food eaten by its people. Exotic dishes in the Aztec and Mayan tradition are still cooked in villages in Mexico. These dishes include such ingredients as rattlesnake, grasshopper, ant eggs, and iguana. As a result of its history and location, Mexican cuisine is a blend of a number of cuisines, including French, Africa, Caribbean, and South American.

Mexican cuisine relies heavily on corn, chills, and black beans. However, the cuisine of Mexico varies according to region. The climate and geography in Mexico varies in different regions of the country. In addition, the populations of these various regions were influenced by the Spaniards to different degrees. Northern Mexican cuisine makes use of beef, goat, and ostrich. Central Mexico is known for dishes such as pozole (a broth based soup), menudo (spicy tripe soup), and carnitas (caramelized pork). Southern Mexico is well known for its herb seasoned stews and sauces. Southeastern Mexico is famed for its spicy vegetable and chicken dishes. In the coastal regions seafood is a large part of the cuisine.

French: French cuisine is well known for its quality. In France, cooking is considered to be an art form and fine food is revered. French cuisine has had a significant impact on the art of cooking. In fact, many culinary terms are French. For example, the direction mincer indicates that a food should be sliced thinly. The term julienne indicates that a food should be cut into long thin strips. The term flamb indicates that a liquid should be set aflame. The direction saut indicates that a food should be cooked over high heat in a pan or skillet.

In a traditional French meal, courses are served separately. A meal starts with hot hors d'oeuvres. At lunch, it is usual to serve a cold hors d'oeuvre. The hors d'oeuvre is followed by a soup course, the main course, salad, a cheese plate, and dessert. An aperitif is served before the meal. An aperitif is a light alcoholic drink. Wine is served with the meal. A digestif may be served following the meal. A digestif is usually a heavier alcoholic beverage. For example, cognac may be served as a digestif.

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