Bless the sweet tooth!

 

Making a choice among the international favorites is always a very difficult proposition. It's not only the favorite part of the meal for most people, but is often the real reason for eating the meal itself. Here are the top 10 best desserts in my favorite order, although it might not concur with every body's choices it would certainly make your mouth water for more:

 
 

Tiramisu - In Italian, it means pick-me-up. It definitely does that. With its unique layers and textures, it's always a treat for those with a sweet tooth.

 
 

 
 

Ras Malai - This is a sweet dish invented in Bengal and found in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. It is a heavenly concoction where thickened and sweetened milk is the gravy in which small airy cottage cheese balls are floating.

 

Cheesecake - A classic, and rightfully so. It both refrigerates and freezes very well. You can't really go wrong with it.

 
 

Key Lime Pie - The perfect sour, yet smooth taste of this dessert fits so perfectly after a big meal. It almost feels like the meal was the appetizer for the pie.

 
 

Cannoli - You don't have to be Italian to enjoy this delicious treat. This legendary Sicilian pastry has a sweet filling, which normally contains ricotta cheese.

 
 

Chocolate Mousse - Rich and decadent, the sweet taste explosion of this classic gourmet dessert will be the hit of any party.

 
 

Baklava - Is there anything sweeter in this world than a nicely sliced piece of Baklava. It especially becomes lovelier when they put a little honey in it. It's just spectacular.

 

Chocolate Croissants - The perfect combination of a flaky French pastry with the sweetness of chocolate. Just heaven!

 
 

Brownies - So classic, yet it will never go out of style. Who didn't grow up with these treat. I can even remember as a little kid grabbing a chair to stand on, so I could get to the brownie jar.

 
 

Chocolate Chip Cookies - As American as apple pie, chocolate chip cookies are the favorite dessert of both young and old.

 
 

 
 

Donuts - May not be the flashiest dessert in the world, but I bet you can't find one single person who will pass down a freshly baked donut.

 
 

The Strings of Bliss – Different Harmonies, the Variations of Chow Mein

Chow mein is generally made of soft noodles; however Hong Kong-style chow mein is made from thin crispy noodles.

American Chinese cuisine
In American Chinese cuisine, it is a stir-fried dish consisting of noodles, meat (usually chicken, although beef, shrimp, or pork may also be used), and cabbage and other vegetables. It is often served as a specific dish at westernized Chinese restaurants with soy sauce and vegetables such as celery, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts.
Chow mein is mentioned as early as 1920, in the novel Main Street by Sinclair Lewis.
There are two kinds of chow meins available in the market: 1) Steamed chow mein, and 2) Crispy chow mein, also known as Hong Kong style chow mein. The steamed chow mein has a softer texture while crispy chow mein is crispier and dryer.

Canadian Chinese cuisine
Canadian westernized Chinese restaurants may offer up to three different types of chow mein, none of which are identical to American chow mein. Cantonese style chow mein contains deep-fried crunchy golden egg noodles, green peppers, pea pods, bok choy, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, shrimp, Chinese roast pork (char siu), chicken, and beef, and is served in a thick sauce. Plain chow mein is similar to Western chow mein but contains far more mung bean sprouts; some recipes may be up to one-half bean sprouts. Hong Kong style chow mein is similar to plain chow mein but is always served on a bed of deep-fried crunchy golden egg noodles.

Caribbean style
Many West Indian people include chow mein in their cuisine, especially peoples from islands like Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica which include a significant ethnic Chinese population. As well, in the South American country Guyana the culture and cuisine is similar to Trinidad's. This chow mein is cooked in a similar manner, with green beans, carrots, peas, onions and sometimes other vegetables. Meat used is mostly chicken and sometimes pork and/or shrimp. The main difference is that local spices are added, and the dish is often served with hot Scotch bonnet peppers and/or pepper sauce.
In Cuba, aside from the foreign owned tourist hotels which often serve Western-style Chinese food, local Chinese restaurants can be found in Havana that offer a distinct Cuban style.

The Strings of Bliss

Do you at times feel like letting go and allow yourself to be pulled by strings that do not actually bind but set you free? Then you must have tasted the stringy Chinese delight that the world reveres and savors by the name of Chow mein. Chinese invented the noodles and changed the way we eat, that's not an overstatement. Chinese noodles are used a lot in everyday cooking. Chinese noodles are versatile and there are so many ways to prepare them–stir-fry, pan-fry, boil, blanch, soup, gravy, or dry. In short nobody could ever get bored of noodles. It's one of the easiest foods to prepare at home, and the end results are always satisfying.

One of the most popular Chinese noodles in the US is chow mein or literally "fried noodles" in Cantonese dialect. Chow mein is also a favorite Chinese take-out item. Some shredded vegetables; some protein–chicken, pork, beef, seafood, or combination–and you will have a perfect chow mein that is cheap, filling, and sinfully gratifying.

Chow mein is truly speaking the Indian version of the Chinese noodles and was originally developed by the Chinese population of Kolkata in India. Chow mein falls under the genre of Indian-Chinese cuisine and is flavored with coriander, cumin sometimes uncharacteristically with turmeric. These spices are not used in traditional Chinese cuisine and but have now been incorporated into the chow mein. It is a popular dish in India and is often sold by local fast food joints. The Indian-Chinese community in North America is also familiar with the chow
mein recipe which includes fired and shredded vegetables like carrots, beans, onions and peas along with the noodles.
It is usually offered Hakka or with gravy. Catering to vegetarian diets, there is an Indian variant, vegetable chow mein, which consists of noodles with cabbage, bamboo shoots, pea pods, green peppers, and carrots. In the New Delhi area, chow mein can sometimes include cottage cheese with the mixture of noodles and vegetables.

 

 
 

 

Wrapped in Caring in so many ways – the variations

 
 

Though dosa normally refers to the version made with rice and lentils, many other adaptations of dosa exist and are popular in varying degrees. This is sometimes specific to a region in India. Other types of dosa include:

•    Egg dosa - a dosa spread with an omelet.

•    Chilli dosa - chilli powder is spread on the dosa.

•    Onion dosa - chopped and sautéed onions are spread on the dosa.

•    Ghee (thuppa/neyyi) dosa - ghee is used instead of oil while frying the dosa.

•    Butter dosa - butter is used instead of oil while frying dosa and topped off with a small amount.

•    Roast - the dosa is spread thinly and fried until crisp.

•    Family roast - a long dosa which can be spread over 2 or 3 feet.

•    Paper dosa - a long and very thin delicate dosa which can be spread over 2 feet.

•    Green dosa - a dosa stuffed with fresh vegetables and mint chutney.

•    Chow-chow dosa - a dosa stuffed with (Indian flavored) Chinese noodles.

•    Cheese dosa - a dosa stuffed with cheese.

•    Masala dosa - a dosa stuffed with spiced potatoes (famous in South India)

•    Rava dosa - made with rava or semolina, which doesn't need fermentation.

•    Wheat dosa - made with wheat flour, and served with coconut chutney,mysore masala dosa

•    Vella dosa - a sweet dosa made of jaggery with ghee/neyyi.

•    Ragi dosa - made of ragi or millet flour, usually considered "a poor man's fare".

•    Muttai dosa - eggs are added to the regular batter; the word muttai in Tamil means "egg".

•    Set dose - a popular type of dosa in Karnataka, which is cooked only on one side and is served in a set of two, hence the name.

•    Benne dose - similar to masala or set dosa but smaller in size.

•    Cabbage dosa - a dosa made out of cabbage. Paste is prepared with rice, red chillies, Asafetida and Turmeric. Once the batter is ready, chopped cabbage is added to the paste and left for about 30 minutes.

•    Neer dosa - a dosa prepared from rice unique to Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada districts.

•    Pesarattu - a dosa prepared from moong dal; Andhra special and are usually served with chutney made from Ginger and Tamarind.

•    Adai - a dosa made from a mixture of dals namely Urad, Channa & Moong dal.

•    70 MM Dosa - Similar to Masala Dosa, but it is bigger in size, about 60 cm in diameter.

 

Wrapped with Caring Filled with Fun – Masala dosa

 

Though sometimes considered a breakfast dish, dosas are also eaten at other times of day. Those with wheat allergies or gluten intolerance will find the dosa a nice addition to their diets. They can be stuffed with vegetables, meats and sauces to create a quickly prepared meal.

The ubiquitous Indian dish masala dosa has its origins in Udupi, Karnataka. A masala dosa is made by stuffing a dosa with a lightly cooked filling of potatoes, fried onions and spices. It wraps the dosa around an onion and potato curry or sabji.

Dosa is supposed to have had its roots in the Temple Streets of Udupi, Karnataka.

Before it was invented, plain dosa was served with potato curry (batata bhaji) without onions in a separate cup. During a shortage of potatoes, method was created where potato was mashed and sauteed with onions together with other spices. This was then placed inside the dosa instead of a separate cup. This was done to hide the onions which are not eaten by orthodox Hindus and Jains. People accepted this new version of the dosa with delight. So "Masala Dosa", from the sautéeing of spices (masala) during the preparation of the bhaji, was born to conquer the gourmet world.

 

Dosas of all kinds are typically served with a variety of side dish which changes according to regional and personal preferences. More common side items include:

    • Sambar – A lentil curry preparation.

    • Wet chutneys, often coconut chutney — a semi-solid paste usually made of coconut, dal, green chilies, and mint or coriander (cilantro)

    • Dry chutney pudi or powder of spices and desiccated coconut

    • Milagai podi, fry dry chillies, lentils, asafoetida, salt and grind coarsely

    • Muddha Pappu(dal) with large amount of ghee (the traditional way of eating dosa in many parts of Andhra Pradesh)

• Curd with chilli powder topping

• Indian pickle

• Chicken or mutton curry (commonly served in non-vegetarian households in Tamil Nadu and Kerala)

        

Wrapped with Caring – Dosas

What is light on the pocket, full of nutrition and taste, exotic, and versatile yet simple to make? Well, the dosa is as near to perfection as a food as can be. The Dosa or Dosay is a crispy savory pancake or Indian style wraps. It is a south Indian delicacy originated in Karnataka. Dosa is made from rice and black lentils. It is a typical South Indian food, eaten for breakfast or dinner, and is rich in carbohydrates and protein. It can be had alone with a few accompaniments or can be wrapped around a vegetarian or non vegetarian filling of your choice making it as light or heavy a meal as you want. You can even dip it into some kind of sweet syrup to make a different kind of dessert.

Regular Dosa batter is made from rice and split, skinned black lentil bean (urad) blended with water and left to ferment overnight. A modified form of the same batter can be used to make idlis.

Characteristically the rice is very finely ground; more so than in idli batter. Furthermore, the rice to lentil ratio varies in both. The rice can be uncooked and/or parboiled. The urad bean and rice can be replaced with highly refined wheat flour to make a maida dosa or semolina for a rava dosa.

The batter is then ladled in small amounts onto a hot greased flat girdle, where it is spread out into a thin circle and fried with oil or ghee until golden brown. This is the case in a very short time. The dosa may then be folded in half and served or rolled as in a wrap, but in both cases it is cooked on a single side. Alternatively, it may be flipped to cook on the other side and then served.

Dumplings of Love

 

Are you really unsure if the world is actually a global village where most of humanity lives under more or less the same conditions everywhere with similarities in culture and more importantly in food habits? Look no further than the innocuous Momo. Momo also known as momo-cha, is a type of Tibetan, Ladakhi and Nepali dumpling, similar to the Mongolian buuz, Chinese jiaozi, or Central Asian manti and is very closely related to the Russian pelmeni or Italian ravioli. Its one of the most healthy filling foods available.

Momos are made with a simple flour-and-water dough—white flour is generally preferred—and sometimes a little yeast or baking soda is added to give a more 'doughy' texture to the finished product. The filling may be one of several mixtures described below:

    • Meat: Diverse kinds of meat filling are accepted in different regions. In Tibet, Nepal and North East India, goat, buffalo, chicken, yak meat, and pork are the most accepted, in Ladakh lamb and yak are common, while in other Indian cities (e.g., Kolkata), goat and chicken would be the most popular meats used in momos. Minced meat is mixed with any or all of the following: onions, shallots, garlic, and cilantro/coriander. The mixture is seasoned with salt, pepper, and often ground cumin. Some people also add finely puréed tomatoes, and many variations are possible.

    • Vegetarian or mixed momos are becoming increasingly popular in India and Nepal.

    • Potato, similar to Indian samosas, with small dice of firm potato in a tomato based sauce.

    • Cheese, usually a fresh cheese, this variety is common in Bhutan and Sikkim.

The dough is fashioned into small circular flat pieces. The filling is then enclosed either in a round pocket or in a half moon shape or crescent. The dumplings are then cooked by steaming over a soup (either a stock based on bones or tomato-based), which is served with the dumplings, as well as chili sauce. The dumplings may also be pan-fried or deep-fried after being steamed. They may be accompanied by an Indian pickle depending upon individual tastes.

Momos are a traditional delicacy in Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, and Ladakh. They are the most popular fast food in Kathmandu valley, Nepal. They are also common in places with noticeable Tibetan population, such as Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, and West Bengal (particularly in Darjeeling). Over the last decade momos have seen their popularity as street- food rise in many Indian cities.

There are different varieties of momos. Most common are C-momo, Kothey momo, and fried momo. C-momo is momos in a hot and spicy sauce consisting of onions, capsicums, etc., usually served in a bowl. Fried momos are prepared by deep frying the steamed momos, and Kothey momos are pan-fried. These are some of the most common items served in Tibetan and Nepalese restaurants.

Vada Pav, wrapped with love - from Mumbai!

 

In Mumbai do as the Mumbaikars do. And what is the secret of the energy of the financial capital of India? What keeps the city that never sleeps up and running at all hours of the day? Well, the answer is possibly a little too modest for so bombastic a question - it is the unassuming yet very charismatic "Vada Pav"!

 

Straight out of the heart of Maharashtra in Western Indian, Vada Pav has iconic status in India. It used to be "poor man's food", but these days even the rich and famous can be spotted eating it at Bombay's (Mumbai) numerous roadside food-stalls!

 

Vada pav is a vegetarian fast food dish native to Indian state of Maharashtra and is one of the most popular and cheapest fast foods of Mumbai. It consists of a Batata (Marathi for potato) Vada a deep-fried potato mash patty served in a salted bun (pav) with savory condiments.

 

The potatoes are mashed or diced, made into patties, coated and mixed with green chilies, ginger and a phodani that is tempering of mustard seeds and turmeric. These balls are then dipped in an herb-seasoned batter made with gram flour, and then it is deep-fried. The finished vada is then placed between the halves of a small bun called a pav, a word borrowed for a bun borrowed by Marathi from the Portuguese pão (lit., "bread") and served with condiments such as various chutneys, red chili powder or green chilis (sometimes fried and salted). The chutneys are often made of coconut, tamarind pulp or garlic. Often just the vada can become a very good snack but then again that doesn't make it an "authentic" vada pav, does it? For the true blue Mumbaikars only the real Mc Coy would do.

The Vada Pav is considered staple teatime snack in Maharashtra, particularly in Mumbai, where it has been popularized as street food. Vada Pav is available on hand carts, popularly known as Vada Pav chi gadi. They are seen everywhere in Maharashtra and also served at tea time in many of the state's small eateries and on long distance trains.

Chat and Lick – the Chaats of India

Chaat is plate of savory snacks, typically served at road-side tracks from stalls or carts in India, Pakistan and the rest of South Asia. the name originates from the licking of fingers that ensues after the consumption of this mouth watering dish - as the word chaat in Hindi means "to lick". The chaat variants are all based on fried dough, with various other ingredients. The original chaat is a mixture of potato pieces, crispy fried bread, gram bean and spices, but other popular variants included Aloo Tikkis (garnished with onion, coriander, hot spices and a dash of curd), bhel puri, dahi puri, panipuri, dahi vada, papdi chaat, and sev puri. There are common elements among these variants including dahi, or yogurt; chopped onions and coriander; sev (small dried yellow noodles); and chaat masala. This is a masala, or spice mix, typically consisting of amchoor (dried mango powder), cumin, black salt, coriander, dried ginger, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. The ingredients are combined and served on a small metal plate or a banana leaf, dried and formed into a bowl.

 

One of the special kinds of Chaats is the very admired Papri Chaat/ Paapri Chaat / Papdi Chaat which is mostly popular with the north Indians. Papri refers to crispy fried dough wafers made from refined white flour and oil. In Papri Chaat, the papris are served with boiled potatoes, boiled chick peas, chilies, and yoghurt and tamarind chutney and topped with chaat masala and 'sev'. The popular dish is often eaten from travelling food vendor stalls.

The other more healthy homemade versions of the chaats also exist. Particularly the boiled potato chaat called the Aloo chaat or the Aloo kabli. But the popularity of the chaat remains due its position as a street food.

On a Roll

 

 

Are you in a hurry and yet so hungry that you feel you could eat the Earth and its Mother all at the same time? Well then, if you are in Kolkata, the capital of the state of West Bengal in India, you're in for a treat! For this is the birthplace of the world famous Kati Roll.

 

Kati roll is a street-available fast food popular in Kolkata. In Kolkata, it is thought to be introduced by Nizam's, a restaurant in the city noted for its Mughlai food. In Mumbai, it is similar to a Frankie.

It is said that the Kati roll was the result of a huge brain wave on a busy day, when the number of customers purchasing kebab and parathas (fried Indian flat bread) outstripped the rate at which plates could be washed, so the chef decided to wrap some of the kebabs in parathas rather than serve them on plates. And Hey Presto! The original Kati Roll was born! By now it has conquered the world enough for it to be known in the western world as a delicacy on the move. The word Kati is actually originated from the rod on which the kebabs are speared for roasting and the word Roll is obvious in its etymology as it is clearly a reference to the action of rolling the paratha around the kebabs.

The basic kati roll begins with paratha toasted on a frying pan. Whipped egg is poured in the center of the frying pan and topped with the bread. Fried vegetables are roasted in butter and stuffed inside. Spices, red onion slivers and lime are sprinkled on top. Spicy potatoes, cottage cheese, chicken tikka or mutton can also be stuffed inside. At certain outlets, the roll comes wrapped around a non-greasy Rumali Roti (another Indian bread, this one is not fried).

Light – on the pocket and stomach - Phuchka

 

If you're Indian, more importantly a Bengali, there is absolutely no need for me to explain to you what a "Phuchka"/"Golgappa"/"panipuri" means. In my travels through the world for newer climes and more varied cuisines I've rarely come across any other food which elicits such emotional reaction as this street food in north, east and west of India!

What is a Phuchka? In the west and in the north of India they call it Golgappa or Panipuri. It also goes by the name of Bataashaa or Gup-chup. They are also quite popular in Pakistan and Bangladesh. It has became pretty common in Bangalore as a result of the migration of people from west and north Indians there in 1970s. Eating a few panipuris generally marks the finale of a chaat-eating session.

In the eastern India particularly in Bengal, Phuchka is the crispy small rounded fried flour balls, that are as light as air, when these are broken in the middle there is a "phuch" like sound. From there comes the name, "Phuchka". It's really yummy. Unlike other places in India where they pour chick peas or channa inside each puri, the Bengalis pour a potato mixture to which all the hot and sour spices as well as channa and coriander are mixed by hand. This potato mixture is simply like a trip to heaven. Then the mixture once put inside the fried balls they are served with a sweet and sour tamarind and cilantro mixture in water that has lots of chilli and cumin dust in it too. Sometimes instead of using water as a serving base, dahi (yogurt) is used. The yogurt is beaten after adding a little date chutney (sauce). Ground spices are sprinkled over it and garnished with a mixture of spicy dry ingredients like puffed rice, savory noodles and peanuts.

On the Taste Streets

 

Let's face it, food is the sole most significant commodity in any of our shopping baskets and street food shapes a major chunk thereof. For instance, studies have found that the poorest section of the society uses up to 40% of their food budget and 25% of their total spending budget on street food.

 

Street food is the creation of crowded cities and signifies different things to different people, be it the schoolchildren on their way to school or the holidaymaker staying in a big city or the vendor selling the food. It is ready-to-eat foods or beverages, which comprises many types of foods ranging from cereal and fruits to cooked meats and beverages. It is generally sold in busy intersections and public areas and is served with the minimum amount of fuss in single portions dished into take-away containers. These containers come in a variety of materials such as disposable plastic, paper and Styrofoam or even clay plates, bowls, cups and utensils. It has become a main food for the commuters, workers, students and schoolchildren, migrants and tourists who find themselves far from home when hunger hits at mealtimes, because it is cheap and sold in flexible quantities. Anywhere you go, you will find street food as an interwoven part of the local economy.

 

People want to know that the food they buy and eat is safe. The test is therefore to develop the safety of street food by working with vendors. Certain simple practices like using potable water for preparing the food and using clean and hygienic utensils for storing and serving the food go a long way in meeting this very just consumer demand.

 

Haute cuisine is an indulgence, but street food is where it's at! It is part of an individuality expressed through culinary terms. It is a natural idiom of culture that cannot be found anywhere else. Enduring consumer fondness reflects this strength of cultural identities articulated in the cuisine and culinary traditions found on the streets.

 

Stay tuned to travel the world with me on a gastronomical journey with a difference! Know the very souls of the countries we visit because the street foods in these lands reflect their culture like nothing else can.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s Chocolate! (part VII)

 

El Rey offers 8 oz. Bags for $10.95 for Roasted Cocoa Nibs and although that may sound like a lot—there isn't any place I can think of in the other parts of the world to get them. Besides, you can be the first person on your block to snack on cacao (if you can handle it, that is) and keep in mind that just a little goes a long way. There is something about getting chocolate from makers that have the beans grown locally but often, countries that produce the beans ship them off to larger, more developed nations for processing. Buying from El Rey supports an entire local economy and although this might not be of primary concern in your quest for good chocolate, it is something to think about.

So now, we'll skip over to the Middle East, not surprising keeping in mind that people everywhere love chocolate. Israel isn't normally someplace you'd remember when you hear "chocolate" but there is a small company called Momentum that makes kosher chocolate that they distribute all over the world. My friend Roxy had some of this chocolate and it was just great—not as high class as some of the companies I've mentioned recently, but many off-the-rack American chocolates couldn't hold a candle to Momentum. Although you may be able to find kosher chocolates where you shop, these Israeli chocolates can be delivered in bright colorful cellophane parcels right to your (or a friend's) door. This company also offers other treats and Jewish eats and it is fun to look at their English-language website.

The only criticism I have of any international chocolate I've tried is the Japanese brand Meiji. I haven't had sufficient familiarity with Chinese or Japanese chocolate to suggest a better product, but Meiji tastes a tad like unrefined sugar doused in molasses. It is appallingly sweet and ignores any of the natural taste of the bean. Even though I am not a admirer of the taste, it is interesting and fun to try the chocolate of other cultures, not only to see if it's tasty or not, but just to take part in the global love of the treat, so it's worth trying, just to pick up the difference in processing and refining. While I am still on the lookout for a quality Asian chocolate, I also continue sampling brands that I haven't mentioned here. I can't tell you what a wonderful idea it is to make gift cases for your friends with chocolates they've never tried before and while it may sometimes make a costly gift, it is always worth it when you see that singular smile that comes over someone's face at the idea of chocolate!

It’s Chocolate! (part VI)

 

The Domori is very alert about that they do and even if you aren't looking to buy any of their creations, they have a grand website that clarifies the ins-and-outs of natural-process chocolate making and you'll come off with a better appreciation of the effort that goes into a bar of chocolate, from the plant to the mold.

If you are looking for a Spanish specialty, search no further than Lopez Echeto. While I am not sure of their authentic bars of chocolate, I am quite fond their "piedras". These Spanish delights have a toasted almond that is covered in a ball of dark chocolate and then rolled in cocoa. They are a little larger than golf balls and are a very rich delicacy that is nearly impossible to eat in one session. Lopez Echeto is the most famous piedras maker in Spain and if you love almonds, this is something you must try.

Since I'm on the topic of Latin delicacies and chocolate, let's cross the ocean and head to Venezuela, where Latin America's supreme chocolate maker El Rey (no connection similar-sounding Del Rey) is based. This company uses locally mature beans and their chocolate has a bitterer, heartier taste than other smoother European varieties. What is most significant about this chocolate is how well you can taste the real raw substance—the beans. While delectable, this is not anything like American or European chocolate as it tastes less refined however this is isn't a negative facet, just a variation in processing. El Rey also offers an inimitable treat that gets down to the heart of chocolate—Roasted Cacao Nibs. These are highly effective snacks that let you savor the natural base of chocolate. While they don't automatically taste like the chocolate we're used to, they do have an interesting zest. Some people chomp this by the teaspoonful for a snack with a kick and it also useful in cooking some dishes and desserts.

 

 

It’s Chocolate! (part V)

 

If you are buying "gifts" for yourself and the love the taste of pure fine chocolate, I have a very straightforward suggestion: buy one (or twelve) of their bars of milk chocolate. Nothing can measure up to this chocolate. It is creamy, melty, and slightly nutty with just the smallest hint of cinnamon and will transport you directly to choco-heaven, I promise it. My second favorite Austrian chocolate maker is Hauswirth. This is the ideal company to buy seasonal treats from and they have great prices and minimal foreign shipping charges. This company puts a lot of time and effort into their festive and elaborate foil wrappers so they are just as fun to look at as to eat. Also, if you are a lover of chocolate and orange combinations, this is the company for you: Hauswirth offers luscious, beautifully wrapped chocolate-covered orange slices, which are the best I've ever had. These are a treat harder to find elsewhere in the world and like I said, ordering from Hauswirth is quite easy. They usually have great deals on bulk chocolates for the holidays and be sure to check with them after the major days to see if you can get an even better deal. For another fine chocolate experience, I would suggest the Domori chocolatiers. This is an Italian company that specializes in organic chocolate. For those who aren't clear on how chocolate can be organic, it's quite simple—it's the same as with organic foods at your local natural foods store: no chemical fertilizers and no pesticides are used. Although I haven't been able to taste a real difference in the organic as opposed to the regular, I feel better knowing that there isn't any unnatural substance mucking up the taste of the chocolate (let alone my insides). Domori takes great pride in their organic status and offers a wide variety of these chocolates using cacao beans from the Dominican Republic and natural cane sugar as well. They call themselves the "Cacao Cult" and are absolutely scientific about their products. While I have tried their organic dark chocolate, I found the acidity to be a bit high for my taste, although for the dark chocolate aficionados, this is some of the finest dark chocolate in the world.

 

It’s Chocolate! (part IV)

 

Although this is another big ticket chocolate alternative, I think you will be satisfied nonetheless—and you'll never be able to look at Whitman's Samplers the same way again. For a less costly Belgian praline, I recommend Guylian's. I must acknowledge that their chocolate isn't as fine and melt-in-your-mouth prefect as Del Rey's, but it is still an admirable company to run a few "praline experiments" with—just to perceive which ones are the best. I highly advise anything from Guylian's that contains their hazelnuts, which feel like they've been baked in cinnamon or cloves, but I can't be sure. Their traditional hazelnut pralines come in a light chocolate mousse-like veneer and are a sure bet for those who have "a thing" for hazelnuts (which aren't quite so common in the U.S.). Aside from Belgium, Austria is home to some amazing chocolate makers as well. My preferred Austrian company, Demel, is what I can only term as the "Tiffany's" of chocolate. This is some of the most elegantly packaged and marketed chocolate in Europe, and also, the richest, most delightful substance I have ever relished. Demel Chocolate has a gorgeous website where you look at the place's beautiful ornate storefronts as well as view some of the past information about the company (which got its start in the late 1700's). Even if you're not out to spend a load of money on chocolate (and it doesn't take long to do that at Demel), I do recommend a look at their webpage. Whenever I do, I feel the way I do when I gaze into the window of a luxury jewelry shop. If you are looking to buy a gift from Demel, I would recommend the "Baton Bambous" which come in a collectible art nouveau styled box. They are a hazelnut sticks that are dipped in their exquisite chocolate—again, a hazelnut-lover's dream. I'm not sure which I like best, the box or the chocolate, but this is one of their offerings that you'll be able to afford ($24.00—a rough conversion from 19.50 Euro).

 

It’s Chocolate! (part III)

 

Another reason I am so in love with Belgian chocolates above all others is because these folk have idealized the art of the pralinen. For those of you who aren't certain what a pralinen (also spelled praline) is, they are nothing like the American creation that includes the sugar glaze and nuts, Belgian pralines are what I can only match up to Whitman's sampler chocolates—molded chocolates with fillings, but this picture doesn't do justice to the distinction between the factory-made chocolate sampler portions and the actual pralines made in Belgium. Belgian pralines are more or less an art form, with elaborate molds and attention to detail. One of the most significant aspects about pralines is that they are not factory made—they are carefully "constructed" by the confectioner who fills them most frequently with light cream, ganache, or my favorite nutty, nougat-like nut-praline. Belgian chocolate makers and confectioners take their pralines very solemnly and Belgian customers are very choosy about whom they buy from and the quality of the delicacy. Praline assortments make excellent gifts since there are varieties to choose from and for such a gift, try the Belgian company, Del Rey. This famous chocolate purchaser offers the widest range of pralines I have come across and their chocolate quality is wonderful. The first Del Rey experience I had was with white chocolate and although it isn't my favorite, I had cause to change my feelings about white chocolate. After that, I ordered a small variety box and was thrilled at the freshness with which it came to my door. Aside from the white chocolate, I haven't had their pure bars of any other type, but I am sure they are of the matching quality as the delicious outer shell of my pralines, thus are likely to be a worthwhile purchase.

It’s Chocolate! (part II)

 

Belgium's Dolfin Chocolate is by the far the finest, best quality chocolate in Europe (from my experience). Although I am sorry to say this is the lone company I have listed that you will not be able to order online with, it would be worth your while to write them an e-mail about ordering and shipping information. They are renowned for their plain chocolate bars not only because of their delicate quality, but also because of their inimitable ingredients. For example, when I first tried Dolfin chocolates, I only had a small bar of their regular milk chocolate, which is rich, full-bodied, and not without a definite bitter pungency that can be easily smelled, but not felt. After this first regular bar, I built up my nerve to try some of their more unique combines such as "Milk Chocolate with Cinnamon from Ceylon" and my favorite, "Dark Chocolate with Earl Grey Tea". Although these may sound a bit strange, there is nothing odd about the taste and the Earl Grey Tea was ideally poised with the bitterness of their special dark chocolate. Among Europeans, Dolfin's highest demand is for their 88% cocoa bars, which even for me were a little too much to handle. If you love black chocolate with a kick, this is your number one spot for it. I highly suggest Dolfin to any chocolate lover—if for no other reason than to try their unique flavors and blends (others include Milk Chocolate with Ground Coffee and Dark Chocolate with Mint Leaves) With their unique blends and flavors I would recommend putting a few of the interesting bars in a gift basket for your favorite chocolate lover. Aside from the quality of the product, they come in beautifully designed silver and white wrappers and are almost too pretty to unwrap. I will warn you up front that this is by no means a cheap gift, so make sure you have a good grasp on the currency exchange before you buy.

It’s Chocolate!

Chocolate! The very word is almost a comfort to those in need of it! It encourages engaging conversation between perfect strangers often turning them into friends through mutual appreciation of taste and love for this strange concoction of cocoa solids, cocoa butter, sugar and various add-ons like the ubiquitous milk, nuts, liqueur and fruits and sometimes even more exotic additives.
It is only after my recent trip to Europe that I began to value the range of flavor that appears from sampling local varieties of the sweet substance. Since that tour, I have keenly followed my ardor for Foreign and exotic chocolate and by now, it has turned into a pastime. This short write up will assist you in your personal quest to discovering the best chocolate for yourself and also provide a few suggestions for making up a global “sampler” of internationally famous chocolates for a friend. All Americans in this world possibly know the household names in imported brands as Ritter Sport (from Germany) and Toblerone (Switzerland). As a novice, just to get started, if this is your first try of foreign chocolates, you may wish to give these brands a try. You may not believe it; some people only like American chocolate (such as Nestle and Hershey’s) as they think European and foreign chocolate are “funny-tasting”. Especially when it is the smaller foreign chocolate makers, this difference in taste is a result of more watchful mixing of ingredients and frequently the cocoa content is more which, mainly with foreign dark chocolate, gives a unique, bitter taste. Each of the chocolate firms I have cataloged here make both milk and dark chocolate and I have endeavored to provide you personal opinion founded on what I’ve tasted from them. I offer you some well informed advice in choosing chocolate as I enjoy both milk and dark forms equally. Now then, down to the nitty-gritty…Here are my top global picks… I know, most people think of Swiss chocolate as the very best in chocolates, I must beg to differ. My choice for the best chocolate making nation is Belgium, which has French, Austrian, German, and Swiss influences in its methods, making it a more stable and pleasurable treat. While I couldn’t memorize the names of the all the local manufacturers I found in small Belgian towns, I can certainly direct you to some of the brands that are finest and are available online.

World famous dishes you might want to taste III

Kyinkyinga - Mali
Kyinkyinga are a type of kabob sold by street vendors all across West Africa. On the skewers are pieces of green pepper and meat flavored with ginger and peanut sauce.

Okra Stew - Ghana
Okra stew is a popular West Africa vegetable. When cooked and used in soups and stews, it becomes smooth and sticky. In Ghana it is cooked with prawns, fish, meat and vegetables such as eggplants and tomatoes.

Chin Chin - Nigeria
Chin Chin are small pastries flavored with sugar and spices. Green or pink food coloring is sometimes added. They are a popular party snack, enjoyed with palm wine. Chin chin may also be served at weddings and birthday feasts.

Beg Wot - Ethiopia
Beg Wot is a thick stew made with red meat, tomatoes, and chili peppers. It is ringed with aubergine slices and served with green basil leaves on a bed of injera bread. This slightly sour tasting flat bread is used as both a food and a communal plate.

N'Dizi Na Nyama - Tanzania
N'Dizi Na nyama is a tasty stew made from beef, coconut milk, tomatoes, and unripe bananas or plantains. Bananas are widely grown in Tanzania and are often used in cooking.

Every nation has its own unique flavor not only these lesser known dishes from faraway lands but even the most popular cuisines can spring surprises galore. Cuisines like those of France, China and India despite being so well known and so admired the world over has actually shown off only a handful of its beauties. The real delectable dishes with their original local flavors are rarely if ever experienced by people who are alien to those cultures. But the catch is that those who do never forget the experience in a lifetime.

World famous dishes you might want to taste II

Quiche Lorraine - France
Quiche Lorraine is just a shell of crisp pastry, loaded with beaten eggs, cream cheese, flavors, and chopped bacon. The tart is baked for almost an hour in the oven till it turns golden brown. This is a traditional dish from Lorraine, a province in northeastern France. French cuisine is according to many people the finest in the world.
Paella - Spain
Paella is a rice dish made tasty with garlic, saffron and herbs, when it is combined with seafood, chicken or ham, and vegetables. This popular dish is called after the big flattish pan in which it is generally cooked. It originated from southwestern Spain.
Spaghetti Bolognese- Italy
This delicacy from Bologna combines spaghetti with a meat and tomato sauce. Spaghetti is actually a form of pasta. Every area of Italy has its individual preferred kinds of pasta and its very individualistic unique sauces.
Greek Salad - Greece
Greek salad is created with tomatoes, cucumber, black olives, and cubes of feta, a flaky white goats' cheese. It is peppered with herbs and olive oil. Crunchy bread and Greek wine named retsina usually go with this traditional wonder.
Goulash - Hungary
Goulash is Hungary's national dish and is basically a rich stew is created from meat, potatoes, and onions. It is usually served with noodles and pieces of black bread. Goulash is savored with paprika, mushrooms, sour cream, cabbage, or peas may be put in according to the wishes of the cook.
Tagine of Lamb - Morocco
For cooking a tagine, lamb is cooked tenderly with pumpkin, raisins, and chilies. This is served with either rice or couscous (tiny grains of wheat). Heavily seasoned spices, as well as sugar and fruit, are put in to flavor up lots of Moroccan meat dishes.
Couscous - Tunisia
Tunisia is celebrated for its couscous dishes. Couscous is created from wheat that has been grounded into fine grains. It is steamed till it becomes light and airy and is offered with either vegetables or stewed lamb. The Arabic name for it (kuskus) originated from the word kaskasa or “to pulverize”.

World Famous Dishes You Might Want To Taste

Every country has its individual distinctive and well -loved dish. Want to try dishes from other lands? Read on for some of the most delectable delicacies from Africa, Europe, North & South America, Asia and Australia & Oceania.
Jannson's Frestelse - Sweden
Jannson's Frestelse or Jannson's Temptation is an onion and anchovy concoction layered in between thin slices of potato to make this much loved Swedish dish. Fresh cream is added on the top and the pie is baked to turn it golden brown.
Danish Pastries - Denmark
These sweet rolls are rich, crumbly, and frequently frozen. The Danes eat them at all times of the day, but mostly midmorning with cups of strong coffee. Scrumptious Danish pastries are popular in most parts of the world.
Irish Stew - Ireland
Ireland's best recognized dish is a stew from lamb or mutton. It is cooked in hot water with onions, potatoes, leeks, carrots, and pearl barley. Potatoes have been a basic food in Ireland since 1800s. Irish stew is usually dished up with dumplings created from suet.
Wurst - Germany
Wurst is sausage, and Germany is supposed to have above 1,500 different types. Every province has its specialty, frequently sold as snacks on the street with a roll and a huge blob of mustard. Bratwurst is a long sausage and handed out grilled. Weisswurst is boiled and Frankfurters are dubbed after the city they originated from - Frankfurt
Fondue - Switzerland
Fondue, is a famous Swiss dish, made with melted cheese served in a special fondue pot. Fresh bread is dipped into the hot cheese using particular two-pronged forks. Cheeses such as Gruyene and Emmental, created on Swiss dairy farms, are heated in a pot and flavored with garlic, pepper, white wine, and kirsch (cherry liqueur). Nowadays innovations such as chocolate fondues are adding newer dimensions to this ever popular dish.

10 most popular cuisines in the world III

4. Chinese Cuisine
Invented in different parts of China and now stretched right through the world, Chinese cuisine is now enjoyed by one third of the world’s population every day. The cuisine is simple to create, cost-effective and delicious. Most of the food is arranged in bite-sized portions because the Chinese traditions consider knives and forks as weapons. Typically, each diner at the table is provided a bowl of rice although the supplementary dishes are enjoyed by everyone at the table. Some dishes can however be cooked from endangered species, such as facai moss while others from meat you may want to avoid such as dog.

3. Indian Cuisine
One of the worlds’ most highly developed and varied cuisines, only a small part of the Indian cuisine is acknowledged by the world. The Indian food dished up in restaurants internationally is North Indian, also known as Mughlai or Punjabi. There are other three main categories of Indian cuisine: South, East and West. Although mostly vegetarian, but many delicacies include goat, chicken meat, lamb and fish. Indian cuisine is normally very spicy so in order to enjoy the food, start slowly and in a few weeks you’ll get familiarized to the flavors. Meals are usually eaten with hand, while seated on the floor, but these traditions have long been given up in deference to comfort and convenience.

2. Italian Cuisine
Possibly one of the oldest in the world, the Italian cuisine has its roots in the 4th century BC. It took its present form after the discovery of the New World that brought tomatoes, potatoes, pepper and maize on the list of components. Like any other evolved cuisine, an Italian meal is configured into quite a few sections: antipasto (the appetizer), primo (pasta or rice dish), secondo (meat course), dolce (dessert). Italy is also renowned for over 400 kinds of cheese, including the celebrated Parmigianino Reggiano, and 300 types of sausages.

1. French Cuisine
Beginning with the Middle Ages that brought rich feasts to the French Revolution, where improved techniques were used, French Cuisine is often called in the 21st century “haute cuisine”. It is as admired as the poetry or French arts, a meal at a restaurant being compared to “a sort of theatre you can eat”. Pastries are the best part of French cooking. Cheese and wine are also key ingredients of the cuisine.

10 most popular cuisines in the world II

7. Mexican Cuisine
Famed for its various flavors and spices, Mexican Cuisine is a outcome of the Spanish conquistadores’ contact with the Aztec culture. Most of the Mexican food we enjoy now is a delectable blend of old traditions of Aztec, Mayan and Spanish tastes. The French also had their part to play, including baked delicacies such as sweet breads and the bolillo. You can always choose the restaurant you are going to eat in by reputation: restaurants with good food normally draw all the customers. There are quite a few exotic choices for your menu, such as insects, rattlesnake, iguana, deer and even spider monkey.
6. Japanese Cuisine
Known for its seasonal changes in food, feature and quality of components, the Japanese cuisine is quickly becoming fashionable worldwide. White rice and soybeans are the ingredients you can expect to find in almost all dishes. Tokyo is the most delicious city, with 150 top-ranked restaurants, according to Michelin Guide ranking cities throughout the world for their restaurants, in opposition to Paris and London that have 148. Apart from its capital, it is enthralling to discover the local cookery all over Japan.
5. Thai Cuisine
According to many people, Thai food alone, with its poised mix of hot, sour, bitter and sweet, is a good and adequate motive to visit the country. The foods are distinguished by the use of fresh herbs and essences, such as lime juice, lemon grass and fresh coriander. Similar to many Asian cuisines, rice is the staple component in Thai foods as well. Nam pla, a strong fish sauce, shrimp paste and noodles are liberally used. In case you want a kick out of your lunch, you may try the raw beef, fermented fish paste or deep fried insect larvae mostly present in the Northeast, where it is a fairly common practise.

10 Most Loved Cuisines in the World

For all the food lovers in this world, traveling is vital, if you wish to taste all that the world has to offer. Hence I present here the richest symphonies of flavor, the vibrantly colorful dishes and the most appetizing bites. Here is my take on the fascinating, international cuisines.
10. Greek Cuisine
With a considerable influence of the Turkish and Italian cuisine, the Greek cuisine is centered on vegetables and herbs specific to the Mediterranean region and above all olive oil. Eating out in Greece is an experience poles apart from eating at Greek restaurants in other countries - gyros for instance is deemed by Greeks as junk food. Restaurants have begun to offer a genuine eating experience, being in touch with the latest culinary trends and stored up with regional delicacies. The Taverna and Estiatorio are widespread, being the places where you can come across reasonably priced real cuisine.
9. Lebanese cuisine
Lebanese cuisine is the one where you can savor all the goodness the Middle East has to present. Foods are normally Mediterranean, lots of vegetables, little meat and full of taste. Perhaps the most celebrated dish globally is the entrée mezze - an assortment of dips, salads, pickles and nibbles with Arabic bread. It also incorporates a large quantity of fresh fish, seafood and fruit and slight animal fat. The country is also well-known for the Arabic sweets, Tripoli being called as the “Sweet Capital” of Lebanon.
8. Spanish Cuisine
The Spanish cuisine, containing a variety of meat and fish, as well as vegetables offers a different take on foods. It is also very dependant on the seafood found in the surrounding waters. Spanish cuisine uses the largest amount of oil among all Western and Central European cuisines. Sangria, a drink made of wine and fruits, is one of the most well-liked drinks in Spain that blends perfectly with its national dishes.

Rich Foods II

Now let’s take a look at some fast foods, beverages, drinks etc that rock the celebrity world of glitz, glamour, and if I may say so, a certain megalomania.

11. The most expensive omelet in the world can be savored at the Le Parker Meridien restaurant of New York. The $1,000 omelet is prepared from sevruga caviar, an entire lobster, and half a dozen eggs. Want to have it homemade? The cost will be only $700.

12. The world’s supreme and costliest coffee is Kopi Luwak. The coffee comes from Sumatra in Indonesia and only around 500 pounds of beans is totally produced annually. And the price of a pound is $300 or more.

13. The recent record for the dearest tea is held by a uncommon Chinese green tea called Tieguanyin, which rates at 1,700 Yuan ($3,000) per kilo (per 2 lb 3 oz) approximately $15 for a single cup.

14. The world’s most classy tea bag for the PG Company was created to celebrate their 75th anniversary. It is manually embellished with 280 diamonds and is worth £7,500.

15. The world’s most expensive champagne is the Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque Blanc de Blanc, made from especially picked grapes, sold in hand painted containers and with a worth of around $1,500.

16. The priciest whisky in the world is said to be the Macallan Fine Rare Vintage. Only 85 bottles being made public world-wide, tasting this 30 year old is a rare treat. Price of a single bottle is $38,000!

17. Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum is just the most popular high strength rum in the world, bottled in 1940. Only four bottles exist of this precious liquor, each fetching approximately $53,000.

18. “Diamonds-Are-Forever” is the most expensive cocktail in the world, although it has no special components. The only justification for having the €11,000 price tag is that the olive is substituted by a 1.6 carat diamond. Served in the hotel Ritz-Carlton in Tokyo.

19. The most expensive beer in the world is priced around $1,000 a bottle and is called Vielle Bon Secours and can only be tasted in a bar known as the Bierdrome in London.

20. The most expensive drinks list will finally come to vodka. Diva Vodka, made by the Blackwood Distillery of Scotland is the world’s costliest vodka. Judging on your option of “crystal decoration” the price of a single bottle deviates from £35 to a mind-blowing £540,000!

21. Kona Nigari water, takes the crown for the world’s most expensive water. The desalinized water filled with minerals from the bottomless seas off Hawaii, is priced at $16.75 per ounce.

Rich Foods

The universe of the rich and famous is intriguing for many of us. They live the life many of us want and they execute what we can only distantly dream for ourselves. Being a food worshipper, this time I’ll have a look at the most costly foods in the world, most exclusive drinks, desserts or seasonings.
1. Saffron is made from the saffron crocus flower. A pound of dry saffron (0.45 kg) needs an entire football field of these flowers. So naturally, prices for the spice go around US$500/pound to US$5,000/pound.
2. The costliest nut in the world is the Macadamia nut with the creamy white core. The macadamia tree makes nuts only after all its needs are fulfilled for 7-10 years. The cost of a kilogram of these nuts is above 30$.
3. The Almas caviar is the most expensive caviar in the world! ‘Almas’ is Iranian for diamond, which comes from a century old Beluga fish. Beluga caviar ranges in worth from over $5,000 per kilogram in America.
4. The priciest mushroom in the world is the white truffle. These truffles are sold at an incredible price of €2,000 and €4,000 per kilogram ($1350 - $2700 per pound). The record price being paid last year was $330,000 for 1.5kg of truffles.
5. The costliest potato in the world is the French “La Bonnotte”. Annually, only 100 tons of this top quality potato is cultivated and the cost of one kilogram can reach €500 due to its rarity.
6. The most expensive beef in the world is the beef coming from the Wagyu cows of Japan who are raised in the best farms making the meat soft and prohibitively expensive. 200 grams of a fillet cost more than 100 dollars.
7. The priciest sandwich in the world is the club sandwich from Essen aka von Essen Platinum Club Sandwich, a triple-decker delicacy made from the finest chicken, hard-boiled quails’ eggs, ham and white truffles, costing almost 200 dollars.
8. The dearest pizza in the world, priced at 8300 Euro is found in Italy. With liberal toppings of lobster and caviar, the 20cm pizza is drenched in Louis XIII Remy Martin cognac.
9. The tastiest and costliest chocolate in the world is Chocopologie by Knipschildt. Costing $2,600 per pound, this handmade chocolate truffle is available by order only.
10. The $1000 sundae from Serendipity 3 in Manhattan was launched in 2004, and in the Guinness Book of World Records, is the most expensive dessert. It has 23K edible gold leaf on it.

Regional Cuisine of Italy IV

Umbria

The trouble-free methods of roasting and boiling with the drizzle of local olive oil and herbs for taste work for almost all of the foods of Umbria. Popular in the spring and summer vegetable dishes are more appreciated while they are in season, while the colder atmosphere bring in meats from the hunting time of year and black truffles come in from Norcia. Sausages are well-liked in this province made by the Norcini who are Umbrian butchers native to Norcia. Lenticchie di Castelluccio is prized lentil cultivated in Castelluccio. Spoleto and Monteleone areas are recognized for their production of spelt wheat. Freshwater fish are also appreciated in the region and include freshwater perch, trout, eel, grayling, barbel, whitefish, and tench.

Lazio

Heavier pasta dishes rule the cuisine of Lazio, like the well-known Amatriciana pasta sauce, based on hot red pepper and guanciale. The region boasts of being able to utilize the lesser appreciated cuts of beef and pork in yummy dishes, such as the innards-based pajata and coda alla vaccinara. Some Jewish effect can also be found in the cooking style, because of Jews having been part of Roman scene since the 1st century BC. Local vegetables, especially globe artichokes, are heavily used.

Campania

Produce from Campania are the tomatoes, artichokes, spring onions, peppers, potatoes, oranges , lemons and fennel which all take on the essence of the volcanic ground of the province. The Gulf of Naples provides fresh fish and seafood. Durum wheat is used in the creation of the region's pastas. Campanian mozzarella is highly acclaimed because it is prepared from the milk of the water buffalo. The traditional pizzas of the region are famous and take benefit of the fresh vegetables and cheese found in the area. Desserts include sfogliatelle, pastiera, and rum-dipped babà.
Much of Italian-American cuisine is founded on that of Campania along with Sicily although almost totally Americanized to reflect components and living conditions in the United States. Add to that the fact that most forms of pizza appreciated around the world come originally from the Neapolitan style, modified a lot, of course, over the course of the 20th century. Now you know why this is the most well known region of Italy.

Regional Cuisine of Italy III

Umbria

The trouble-free methods of roasting and boiling with the drizzle of local olive oil and herbs for taste work for almost all of the foods of Umbria. Popular in the spring and summer vegetable dishes are more appreciated while they are in season, while the colder atmosphere bring in meats from the hunting time of year and black truffles come in from Norcia. Sausages are well-liked in this province made by the Norcini who are Umbrian butchers native to Norcia. Lenticchie di Castelluccio is prized lentil cultivated in Castelluccio. Spoleto and Monteleone areas are recognized for their production of spelt wheat. Freshwater fish are also appreciated in the region and include freshwater perch, trout, eel, grayling, barbel, whitefish, and tench.

Lazio

Heavier pasta dishes rule the cuisine of Lazio, like the well-known Amatriciana pasta sauce, based on hot red pepper and guanciale. The region boasts of being able to utilize the lesser appreciated cuts of beef and pork in yummy dishes, such as the innards-based pajata and coda alla vaccinara. Some Jewish effect can also be found in the cooking style, because of Jews having been part of Roman scene since the 1st century BC. Local vegetables, especially globe artichokes, are heavily used.

Campania

Produce from Campania are the tomatoes, artichokes, spring onions, peppers, potatoes, oranges , lemons and fennel which all take on the essence of the volcanic ground of the province. The Gulf of Naples provides fresh fish and seafood. Durum wheat is used in the creation of the region's pastas. Campanian mozzarella is highly acclaimed because it is prepared from the milk of the water buffalo. The traditional pizzas of the region are famous and take benefit of the fresh vegetables and cheese found in the area. Desserts include sfogliatelle, pastiera, and rum-dipped babà.
Much of Italian-American cuisine is founded on that of Campania along with Sicily although almost totally Americanized to reflect components and living conditions in the United States. Add to that the fact that most forms of pizza appreciated around the world come originally from the Neapolitan style, modified a lot, of course, over the course of the 20th century. Now you know why this is the most well known region of Italy.

Regional Cuisine of Italy III

Emilia-Romagna
Emilia-Romagna is famed for its egg pasta made with soft wheat flour; indeed it is the Pasta capital of the North. Bologna is celebrated for many a pasta delicacy like lasagne verdi, tortellini, gramigna and tagliatelle . Along with that Romagna has Garganelli, Strozzapreti, Cappelletti, Spoglia Lorda and Tortelli alla Lastra. Rice is also eaten in Emilia, from Parma to Piacenza, though it is less significant. It is cultivated in the Valley of the Po. Through ancient times Polenta was the staple in all the Appenine mountain regions of both Romagna and Emilia. Products that are centuries old like genuine Aceto balsamico tradizionale or balsamic vinegar are prepared only in the Emilia towns of Modena and Reggio Emilia and it must be readied obeying legally binding ancient procedures. Another centuries old product, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is made in Reggio Emilia, Parma, Modena and Bologna and is much used in the preparation of dishes. Various types of meats are eaten here including Mora Romagnola Pork and Romagna Lamb along with game. The region is also renowned for its Bologna, Parma, Modena hams and other sumptuous cured pork products: including coppa, Parma culatello, Piacenza pancett and Salame Felino. Cooked pork products like Bologna's mortadella and salame rosa, Ferrara's salama da sugo and Modena's zampone, capello di prete and cotechino are also from this region.
Marche
On the coast of Marche, fresh fish and seafood are fashioned into delectable dishes. In the interior of the provinces both wild and domestic pigs are used for sausages and hams. The specialty of the hams lie in them not being thinly sliced, but served cut into bite-sized chunks. In this region suckling pig, chicken and fish are frequently stuffed before being roasted.
Tuscany
Simplicity sums up the approach of Tuscany towards cooking. Bread, cheese, fresh vegetables, legumes, mushrooms and crisp seasonal fruit are used. Olive oil is prepared fresh from local olives. White truffles are a kind of delicacy that appears in late autumn. Beef of the best quality, specifically a breed known as Maremma used for the celebrated t-bone steaks known as Florentine steak, come from the Chiana Valley. Pork-based products are also common.

Regional cuisine of Italy II

Val D'Aosta
Fonduta which are basically cheese fondues typical of the Alpine region and vigorous bread thickened soups are traditional to this region as well as. Another popular staple is Polenta accompanied by lard, smoked bacon, rye bread, chestnuts and game meats found in the mountainous forest areas. Butter and cream are also essential ingredients in the making of roasted, stewed and braised delicacies.
Piedmont
Piedmont is a region where seasonal elements of the cuisine become more pronounced, with gathering of plants as well as seasonal hunting (particularly wild game) and fishing happening. Truffles, seasonal vegetables, garlic, cheese and rice are all used in this region. Wines from the Nebbiolo grape like Barolo and Barbaresco are made along with wines from the Barbera grape the sweet, lightly sparkling, Moscato d'Asti. Castelmagno is an esteemed cheese of the province. Filetto Baciato is created from pork fillet marinated in white wine, layered with a salami paste and stuffed into a covering to mature for six months.
Liguria
Nearness to the sea allows herbs and vegetables and more importantly seafood find their way into the cuisine of Liguria. Savory cakes and pies are well-liked in the province. Onions and olive oil are loved. The Ligurians, hindered by a lack of wheat-bearing land learnt to use chick-pea in polenta-like panissa and farinata (topped with onion, cheese, sausage, artichokes or young anchovies). Hill provinces used chestnuts as an important source of carbohydrates and sugar. Ligurian pastas comprise of corzetti from the Polcevera valley, piccagge a sort of pasta ribbons made with a little egg and usually served with artichoke sauce or pesto, pansoti, a triangular shaped ravioli stuffed with vegetables, trenette which is prepared from whole-wheat flour chopped into long strips and eaten with pesto, boiled beans and potatoes, and trofie, a Ligurian gnocchi made from wholegrain flour or white wheat flour, shaped into a spiral shape and cooked with beans and potatoes and often tossed in pesto. Many Ligurians were forced to leave theircountry in late 19th and early 20th centuries; as a result, Argentinian Asado a la cruz is quite common in local fairs during summer.

Regional cuisines of Italy

Now that the origins of this fantastic and tasty, economical cuisine is clear and the regionalism in it pretty obvious; lets delve into what it is that makes a nation’s cuisine so very diversified while bearing a unified character. Each area has its own specialties, primarily at regional level, but also even at provincial level. These regional variances can come due to influence of a bordering country (such as France or Austria), nearness to the mountains or sea and economic progress. Italian cuisine is not only highly regional, but is also very seasonal with much importance placed on the use of fresh, seasonal produce.
Veneto
Veneto is famous for risotto. It is a rice dish, ingredients changing with location, with asparagus, radicchio, pumpkin and frogs' legs appearing away from the Adriatic and seafood and fish being added closer to the coast. Beans and other legumes are found in these areas like in the dish pasta e fagioli which is a recipe of beans and pasta. Veneto boasts heavier dishes with unusual spices and sauces. Ingredients such as stockfish or plain marinated anchovies are also found. Veneto eats less of fish and more meat and sausages are favored such as the well-known sopressata and garlic salami. High quality vegetables are valued here with asparagus from Bassano del Grappa being prized as well as red radicchio from Treviso.
Lombardy
Rice is the most preferred ingredient in Lombardy, often finding its way in risotto and even in soups. Regional cheeses are robiola or taleggio, crescenza, gorgonzola (from the namesake town) and grana padano being most important (the massive plains of central and southern Lombardy permitting for intensive cattle-breeding). Butter and cream also find pride of place in the ingredients for the same reason. Single pot dishes are well-liked here with the working class because it is easier to prepare. In the areas of Brescia, Bergamo, and Valtellina polenta is a favorite. In Mantua, village festivals carry tortelli di zucca (ravioli with pumpkin filling) with melted butter and succeeded by turkey stuffed with chicken or other stewed meats.

Italian Cuisine III

But in the 17th century chef Giangiacomo Castelvetro made the case for a few of the cooking processes that are still in use currently in Italy. His recipes, simple, hassle-free and tasty with minimum use of spices and condiments, created a minor upheaval in the way Italian food was cooked in those days. He also brought into notice several vegetarian delicacies which were not getting their due but gained in importance once Castelvetro wrote about them. Tomato and potato slowly began taking their rightful place in European culinary art in general and Italian food in particular.
The next century saw a change in the trends of Italian food preparation which might be termed as a kind of return to the roots. The regionalism of Italian cuisine got more weightage instead of the cuisine of France, Austria and Spain which till that time were the rulers of most of Italy. Middle-class housewives were the target audience of the cookbooks released around this time. As the century advanced the cook books increased in popularity, size and frequency.
The peasant diet of these times comprised of heavy foods, essential in the times when food was needed to generate energy for the daily hustle. It was also thought that peasants had crude stomachs which were incapable of digesting sophisticated foods and it was supposed by some that peasants ate inadequately because they were habituated to eating poorly, as the consequence from the fact that many peasants had no choice but to eat decomposed foods and stale breads in order to stay alive.
The nineteenth century saw the art of cooking slowly moving out the kitchen of the nobility and slowly approaching the hearth of the ordinary household. Elaborate recipes using foreign ingredients slowly gave place to regional delicacies that were elegant and easy using locally found ingredients.
But the foreign influence that Italy had already experienced helped it to develop its culinary prowess and ultimately become the great industry it has become worldwide. From the ordinary peasants food pizza to the housewives delight the ever versatile pasta and all other easy on the pocket and easy on the stomach food identifies Italy to the people who know almost nothing about the country.

Italian Cuisine II

Sicily is said to have been the birthplace for the Italian food as we know it today. It had got culinary customs from Rome and Athens and amalgamated these to develop what some consider the first real Italian cuisine. With the Arab invasion in the 9th century came almonds, spinach and rice and debatably spaghetti. Spaghetti possibly made its first appearance during the 12th century AD when the Norman king made a survey of Sicily noting that people were making long strings made from flour and water called atriya, eventually called trii, a synonym used for spaghetti in southern Italy. These Normans were also responsible for the introduction of salt cod (baccalà), casseroling and stockfish which are very popular even today. Germanic and Roman culture began to influence the northern regions of future Italy but the southern part kept reflecting the influences of Arab culture.
Through the 13th,14th and 15th centuries we find Italian cuisine slowly evolving dishes which increasingly look like modern Italian food. Fresh ingredients and lightness of seasonings which are the hallmarks of great Italian cuisine are slowly finding increasing favour among connoisseurs. But it is in the resurgent Italy of 16th century we find Italian cuisine coming into its maturity. The courts of Rome, Venice, Florence and Ferrara were part of the conception of fine cooking in Italy. Eastern spices and sugar once again find relevance in these times.
In 1570 Opera written by Bartolomeo Scappi personal chef to Pope Pius V we find the most complete detail of Italian cooking up to the period. The work had over 1,000 recipes, giving information on banquets including displays and menus as well as illustrations of kitchen and table utensils. This volume is unique in its emphasis on domestic animals and courtyard birds which was more in line with the "modest household". Apart from recipes showing how to clean and use lesser cuts of meats including tongue, head, and shoulder; it had chapters on preparations for fish including broiling, grilled, poaching, or fried after being marinated. There were also recipes for items from the New World.

Italian Cuisine

Italy is a fine web of great natural beauty and mastery in all branches of Fine Arts like poetry, music, painting, opera, and above all awesome architecture. But possibly no other branch of Italian art is so well known and so well appreciated throughout the world as its culinary art.
Although Italian food has more to it than pastas, pizzas and lasagnas yet even the sheer variety that these three dishes allow is enough to earn a prominent place for Italian cuisine. I love food that is healthy, freshly prepared and great to taste – Italian food scores on all three aspects.
So digging a little deeper than the surface I came up with a lot of fascinating stuff which I think would be interesting to share.
Italian cuisine has always reflected its socio-political and cultural conditions. The discovery of the New World shaped a lot of what is known as Italian cuisine today with the coming of tomatoes, bell pepper, potatoes and maize, which are all integral to the cuisine. Espresso coffee also plays a major part in the national cuisine as do the regional cheeses and wines.
Although this cuisine always reflects a marked provincialism both in its ingredients and the final products yet the national character of the food is still intact. This lies in the penchant for freshness both in ingredients and seasonings. Even its desserts and drinks have this unique sunny originality.
The various influences throughout the centuries, like adjacent regions, high-profile chefs, conquerors, political turmoil along with the discovery of the New World, a genuine cuisine has evolved to what is accepted today as one of the most well loved cuisines in the world.
Italy’s love story with fresh ingredients and seasonings started in the 4 B.C. during the heydays of the Roman Empire. A Greek Sicilian named Archestratus, was the first recorded Italian food commentator and was the first to suggest that the natural flavors of a dish should not be masked by herbs, spices and other seasonings. The Romans are known to have sourced their breads and cheese from the best in the business in those days viz. the Greeks and the Sicilians. They are also known to raise goats for meat and farm herbs and seasonings.
Next posts taste the maturing of Italian food to our times! Keep cooking!

Tamil Food

A meal in Tamil cuisine consists of nearly 20 or so items, including the side dishes such as curry, appalam, pickle and is served in times of auspicious functions. A typical meal has a mixture of spicyand non-spicy dishes and is mostly vegetarian. Many of these dishes are usually mixed and ate with steamed rice, which is the main food of the region.
Tamil cuisine categorizes dishes under four vaguely overlapping groups. First come the dishes that are mixed with rice; various Sambhar, Rasam, Kadaiyals , Moreyoghurt, and the likes belong to this category. Next are the side dishes that go with such mixture; Kari, Poriyal, Kootu, Pickles, Papads fall into this category. Third are the short snacks and their accompaniments; vadai, chips, bajji, soups, various chutneys etc belong to this category. The last category is usually the rich, sweet desserts; Payasam, Kesari, Gheer and innumerable types of Indian sweets belong to this group.
The daily Tamil meal is of at least three to four courses, with boiled rice being the staple. On leisure or special celebrations, there would be at least two such main courses with one Kuzhambu variety and one Sambhar. The Rasam comes next accompanied by crisps. The last of the food will always be rice with curd or yoghurt; this is typically taken along with pickles. Side dishes are incessantly refilled during all meals. As a last course the desserts are served. Finally the meal is concluded with banana and freshly made paan consisting of betel leaves, betel nuts and lime. Paan is considered as an aid to digestion.
The situation is similar with Tamil non-vegetarian meal, except that the first and second courses are usually replaced by various Biriyani and non-vegetarian gravies. In either case, a typical meal (Lunch or Dinner) will be served on banana leaf. Meals are often accompanied by various pickles and appalams.
However, the world knows Tamil food for its idli, vadai, uthappam, rasam, sambar, dosa, thayir sadam (yogurt rice), thayir vadai (yogurt-soaked fritters) etc. Among non-vegetarian dishes Chettinad pepper chicken holds the pride of place.

South Indian Cuisine II

Karnataka Food
North Karnataka meal represented as the mildest (in terms of spiciness factor) among the four South Indian states' cuisines, there is a abundant use of palm sugar which is brown sugar and meagerly used chilli powder. Since the number of vegetarians in Karnataka is pretty high in comparison to the other states, vegetarian food is loved by almost everybody for all meals of the day. Udipi cuisine forms an important and integral part of Karnataka cuisine. Some distinctive dishes include the ubiquitous Masala Dosa, Davanagere Benne Dosa, Bisi bele bath, Akki rotti, Anna Saaru, Ragi rotti, Khara Bath, Vangi Bath, Kesari Bath, Ragi mudde, and Avare Kal Saaru. The famous Masala Dosa with all its recent fusion variations is actually a staple member of the Udipi cuisine. Plain and Rave Idli, Mysore Masala Dosa and Maddur Vade are well loved in South Karnataka. Coorg district is celebrated for spicy kind of pork curries while coastal Karnataka prides itself in its many lip-smacking sea food specialties. Among desserts, Chiroti , Obbattu/Holige, Dharwad pedha, Mysore Pak, Pheni are famous.
Kerala Food
Kerala cuisine is quite diversified. The variety is best sorted on the foundation of the several communities. The Hindus, especially the Nairs and Namboodris have a more obvious leaning vegetarian cuisine, whilst the Christian and the Muslim communities have a predominantly non-vegetarian food. Since Kerala's primary export is coconuts, almost all of the dishes, regardless of the diversity in the cooking styles of the different communities, have coconuts associated with them, either in the form of slivers or coconut oil. Seafood is also much loved in the coastal regions and eaten almost daily.
Vegetarian: olan, nendarangai chips, aviyal, paalpradaman, erucherri, sambar, rasam,
Non-vegetarian: fish curry (various versions depending on the region), chicken fry with shredded coconuts, fish fry, shrimp coconut curry, Kerala beef fry etc
Typical Indian masala dosa, Kerala style is a combination of chopped, cooked and fried vegetables with Indian sauce and a lot of spices as the basic stuffing, ensconced in a fleshy brown dosa made out of a lentil and rice batter. This extraordinary dish it is served with coconut chutney and hot sambhar.

South Indian Cuisine

South Indian Cuisine or Dravidian Cuisine as it is sometimes called is a term used to refer to the cooking styles found in the four southern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Unlike North Indian cuisine, there is limited use of garam masala and other dried spices except cardamom, black pepper and turmeric.
Similarities and differences in "Four states' cuisines"
The similarities in the four states' cuisines are the presence of rice as a staple food, mild spices (as opposed to the strong, pungent spices used by North Indian cuisine), the use of lentils, use of dried red chillies and fresh green chillies, coconut and other native ingredients like tamarind, plantain, snake gourd, garlic, ginger, etc. The differences are few but distinctive, but mostly the four cuisines have more in common and differ truly in the spiciness or hotness of the food.
Andhra Food
The spiciest among these cuisines, there is a abundant use of chilli powder (Guntur), oil and tamarind. The most famous food items are:
Vegetarian: pulihora (or pulihaara), pesarattu, avakkai (cut raw mango) pickle, Gongura.
Non-vegetarian: Kodi iguru( chicken fry), Chepa pulusu (fish stew), Kodi pulusu(chicken gravy) etc., and the delectable Hyderabadi Biriyani
Although the cuisine has a mindboggling variety of dishes, with the majority being vegetable or lentil based, yet meat and fish are not neglected. Especially, traditionally it is the fish which has found more favour with the locals. Hyderabad, being the capital of Andhra Pradesh, has its own distinctive cuisine very different from other Andhra cuisine. The Nawabs sponsored the Hyderabadi cuisine, distantly related to the Lucknowi cuisine of the Avadh. The only difference is that the Nawabs of Hyderabad preferred their food to be spicier, so during their reign was born the Hyderabadi cuisine which included the Baghare Baingan and the Dum ka Murgh, Kacche Gosht ki Biryani and Achaari Subzi.
The distinctive possibilities of the other cuisines will be discussed in future postings.