Friday 13 April 2012

Enjoy the Rich Variety of World Cuisines - Food - Cooking Tips


A lot of the foods we eat in North America today have their origins in far flung areas of the world. Here's a look at some of the favorite world cuisines contributing to the way we eat today.

Italian: Different regions of Italy are famous for different kinds of dishes. Sardinia is known for its saffron and fennel spiced seafood and meat dishes. Calabria is famous for its salami. The cuisine of Abruzzo relies heavily on chili peppers. The cuisine of Sicily leans heavily on fish, such as tuna and swordfish. The cuisine of Sardinia features lamb. Piedmont and Lombardy both grow their own specific types of rice. These areas are well known for their rice dishes.

The cuisine of Italy can also be considered in terms of North and South. Northern Italian cuisine tends to rely on unsalted butter, parmigiano cheese, polenta, and creams. In Northern Italy, fresh egg pasta is generally preferred over dried pasta. Meats tend to include veal, beef, and pork. Southern Italian cuisine is known for its use of tomato products, mozzarella cheese, and olive oil. In Southern Italian cuisine, dried pasta is used rather than egg pasta. Lamb and kid are the preferred meats.

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.

Most people are familiar with tacos, guacamole, quesadillas, and enchiladas. However, these foods are only a small part of Mexican cuisine. Although it is becoming more popular, authentic Mexican food is difficult to find outside of Mexico. Tex-Mex (the Americanized version of Mexican food) is very popular in the United States, but it is not authentic Mexican cuisine. There are many fast-food restaurants that sell Mexican style food, but this is not traditional Mexican cuisine. Today there are many chefs who are creating an upscale cuisine out of traditional Mexican food. There are gourmet Mexican restaurants springing up around the United States.

French: There are many distinct areas of France and each has a distinctive cuisine. The cuisine of a region is also influenced by the cuisine of neighboring countries. Generally foods considered to be part of gourmet cuisine originated in the southern region of the country. The cuisine of southern France is lighter than the cuisine of other parts of the country. Recipes from southern France tend to contain less butter and lard.

Many of the techniques of French cooking are extremely complicated and difficult to master. These techniques are the basis of French cooking. Shortcuts cannot be taken in French cooking. Even the simplest recipes must be prepared with great care and without regard to time. Time-saving is not a part of French cuisine.



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