Global Cuisine: Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia

1. Global Cuisine: Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia

2. Europe • 50 countries and more than 730 million residents • A range of cultures and cuisines

3. France • France’s culture and cuisine have been shaped by the numerous invaders who have passed through over the centuries. • Gauls: Farming • Romans: Fishing and Hunting • Moors: New ingredients like caraway and cinnamon • Perhaps the event that most profoundly influenced French cuisine was the AD marriage of Henri II to the Italian Caterinade’Mediciin1533. Why do you think that was? 11.1 Chapter 11 | Global Cuisine 2: Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia

4. The Industrial Revolution broke down regional barriers throughout France and allowed product shipments nationwide. Part of that led chefs to become more creative and led to …. • Haute cuisine (refined food and a brigade system in the kitchen) eventually became “cuisine classique” and later “nouvelle cuisine” as chefs in the late twentieth century embraced lighter dishes and simpler flavors. • Each of France’s regions has a unique gastronomic identity, characterized largely by its geography.

5. Regions of France • Brittany – NW – known for it’s seafood and its buckwheat crepes. • Normandy- known for its dairy, famous cheeses like Camembert and its apples. • NE France is very cold and known for its hearty, cold-weather foods. • Alsatian food specialty is Foie gras – the engorged liver of a fatted duck or goose. • Burgandy - wine

6. Italy • In 415 BCE, Greek invaders introduced olives, honey, and nuts to southern Italy where they remain prominent ingredients today • The Roman Empire, which fanned out from contemporary Italy, introduced new foods, techniques, and ideas from the regions its soldiers had conquered. • The “Columbian Exchange,” named for explorer Christopher Columbus, brought many new foods to Europe, which rapidly found homes in Italian cuisines. • Modern Italy did not become a unified country until 1861, so regional culinary traditions generally persist today. 11.1 Chapter 11 | Global Cuisine 2: Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia

7. Spain • Spain is bordered on several sides by water, allowing easy trade with both nearby neighbors and distant lands. • Spain’s history, however, is also one of occupation. Spain was at one time a Roman province; occupied by Visigoths, a Germanic people; and controlled by Arabs. Arabian influence on Spanish cuisines persists today. • Spain’s geography covers a wide variety of terrains, so naturally its regional cuisines vary considerably—the northern regions are notable for seafood cookery, the northern interior is famous for agriculture, and the southeast coast is famous for citrus, saffron, and rice production. 11.1 Chapter 11 | Global Cuisine 2: Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia

8. Section 11.1 Summary • France’s culture and cuisine have been shaped by the numerous invaders, peaceful and otherwise, who have passed through over the centuries. Perhaps the event that most profoundly affected the development of French cuisine was the 1533 AD marriage of Henri II to the Italian Caterina de’Medici. • In 415 BCE, Greek invaders introduced olives, honey, and nuts to southern Italy, where they remain prominent ingredients today. • Spain is bordered on several sides by water, allowing easy trade with both nearby neighbors and distant lands. The “Columbian Exchange,” named for explorer Christopher Columbus, brought many new foods to Spain. 11.1 Chapter 11 | Global Cuisine 2: Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia

9. Morocco • Morocco has been a center for trade since. • The Arabs, who occupied Morocco, introduced saffron, ginger, cumin, and cinnamon, and combining sweet and sour tastes. • Around the 1,300s, the Ottomans brought in new pastries and sweets, with the bold use of sugar and honey. 11.2 Chapter 11 | Global Cuisine 2: Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia

10. Couscous is the national dish of Morocco. Chefs steam the tiny grains in a couscoussière, a specialized earthenware or glass cooking vessel.

11. Two spice mixtures are used extensively in Moroccan cuisine: La kama is used to season soups and stews. Ras-el-hanout is used to flavor rice, stews, and tagines.

13. Greece • Greece’s olive trees contribute the most to its cuisine and to its culture. • One dish that is synonymous with Greece is moussaka, a casserole of lamb and eggplant. • Olive oil and lemon juice are the two most important flavoring agents used in Greek cuisine. • Baklava is a honey-sweetened pastry made with phyllo dough and chopped nuts. 11.2 Chapter 11 | Global Cuisine 2: Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia

14. Tiny fried FishBaked CheeseHummusSouvlaka

15. Tunisia • Clear connections can be made between French and Tunisian foods. • Spicy condiments are a major component. • Many Tunisian ingredients are similar: lamb: spicy merguez sausage, flatbreads, a wide variety of vegetables, and especially couscous. 11.2 Chapter 11 | Global Cuisine 2: Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia

16. Tunisia • The strong regional sweet tooth is found here as well, -- a passion for honey and fruits, especially dates. • The Northwest -- known for its wild boar and edible fungi, spiny lobsters. • Tomatoes, eggs, olives, and pastas and seafood are abundant.

18. Egypt • Egypt is part of the “Fertile Crescent,” -- most of the country is desert, today it imports 60 percent of its food. • Egypt was governed by various invaders. Traders and colonizers introduced new foods from India, China, and Persia. • Egyptians still enjoy seafood along the coast and in Alexandria, but savor a soil-based cuisine elsewhere. 11.3 Chapter 11 | Global Cuisine 2: Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia

19. Flatbreads are popular. A common variety is eish baladi, which is sprinkled with duqqa, a spice mixture. • Shawarma, shredded meat served in a pita with tahini and analogous to the Greek gyros, may also be a street food.

21. Iran • Iranian cuisine was influenced by the ancient Silk Road, which was a conduit for ingredients such as long-grain rice, citrus fruits, and eggplant. • The Iranian meal is rice, a meat, and some combination of onion, vegetables, herbs, and nuts. • Stuffed meat and vegetables, known as dolmehs, are popular, as are kebabs, ground meat molded around a stick and grilled. • Desserts tend to be extremely sweet, and many are inspired by French pastries. 11.3 Chapter 11 | Global Cuisine 2: Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia

23. Saudi Arabia • The food of this region has been influenced trade with the Horn of Africa, India, Iraq, and the Mediterranean. • A typical Saudi meal involves a large communal platter heaped with rice and garnished with meat and vegetable dishes, flatbreads, and fresh pickles. • Baharat and loomi, or dried Omani lime, is one of two extremely popular seasonings in Saudi Arabia. • Dates are extremely important. • A common lamb dish is kebab meshwi, or ground lamb molded around a stick and grilled. 11.3 Chapter 11 | Global Cuisine 2: Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia

24. China • Chinese cuisine is based on the yin and yang philosophy of the Tao, the belief that a single guiding principle orders the universe. • Mandarin is the cuisine of the northern region of China. Mandarin cuisine refers to the elaborate and delicate specialties prepared for the elite members of the imperial court in Peking. • The cuisine from the neighboring provinces of Szechwan and Hunan is best known for its hot, spicy foods. • Canton cuisine was the first to be introduced to the United States. The city of Canton is situated on the Pearl River, 90 miles inland from the South China Sea and thus it became an international trading center. 11.4 Chapter 11 | Global Cuisine 2: Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia

25. Japan • Japan’s close neighbors, China and Korea, have played major roles in its culture through both trade and religion. • Westerners introduced cooking techniques like baking and deep-frying, which was quickly adopted as tempura. • The word for cooked rice, gohan, also means meal, demonstrating its essential nature to Japanese cuisine. The other major agricultural product is soybeans. • The Japanese prioritize quality over quantity in their food, prizing each ingredient individually. • Visual appeal is as important as the food itself, so preparation and presentation are meticulous. 11.4 Chapter 11 | Global Cuisine 2: Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia

26. India • Indians today are largely of the Hindu faith, which promotes vegetarianism and discourages meat consumption. • The British left the most profound impact of all on Indian cuisine. They introduced continental cooking equipment and techniques to India to develop a distinctly Anglo-Indian cuisine. • Curry is often thought of as traditional Indian cooking. Curry is not really a spice; it is a dish. Some specific spices used in curry dishes include turmeric, cumin, coriander, and red pepper. • An important cooking method in northern India is dum, a type of steaming in which preparers cover the cooking pot and seal it with strips of dough. 11.4 Chapter 11 | Global Cuisine 2: Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia